British Colonization in India Case Study

Colonial India was the most populous and valuable possession of the British Empire such that it was referred to as ‘the jewel of the crown. ' The British established themselves in India through trade and military conquest. The main reason for the colonization of India has been identified to be the need for raw materials and other resources. The period of British rule in India is referred to as the British Raj, and it lasted from 1858 to 1947 (Johnson, 2002). The British Raj left indelible impacts, both positive and negative, in the region and up until the present day, the influence of colonial structures can still be witnessed. At that time, the Mughal emperor was the dominant symbol of authority. There was no primogeniture hence succession disputes were not uncommon.

The emperor had many sons all of whom laid claim to the throne. It was inevitable for wars to break out and a large sum of finances and resources were spent to facilitate the wars. Massive losses were realized in succession wars while the empire grew more divided. Lastly, laws were passed that barred Indian people from holding office in their land. The authority of the British government was fully established in after 1858 when the Mughal Dynasty was abolished, and the emperor was exiled. Indians who were displeased with the cultural changes that were imposed on them rebelled company rule and swore loyalty to the emperor. The Indian Revolt began in 1857 but ended after a year. The aftermath of the revolt was the exiling of the emperor and the abolition of company rule.

There was World War 1 whereby a lot of Indians were taken as soldiers in service under the British flag. Indians were inspired to fight for independence after participating in the war. Political influences such as Mohandas Gandhi led the struggle. The Indian efforts to oppose colonial authority were crippled in the 1919 Amritsar Massacre whereby the British troops killed 1500 men, women and children who had gathered in an unarmed protest. The Indian Independence movement grew stronger in the wake of World War II, and there were several demonstrations against British rule that were spearheaded by Gandhi and other members of the Indian National Congress (INC). Reflection of the event from different standpoints European colonization is often looked at from a bittersweet perspective whereby there are those who feel that colonialism was advantageous while there are others who disagree.

European nations that colonized other countries often look at their actions as a saving act because of the development that they took to those countries whilst forgetting the progress that they took away from the same countries. The colonized countries share little in the joy of their colonizers because the colonial legacy is still one of enduring pain. Among all European nations that colonized other regions, Britain has often been viewed as generally benevolent and productive in their rule over overseas colonies and protectorates. British rule in India was not without both positive and negative consequence. Western education was used to promote and expand British bureaucracy through the policy of employing only educated Indians. To be able to pay taxes and escape poverty, Indians had to go to school, learn English and other educational courses before getting employment.

At that time, the British Raj was in demand for low-ranking Indian clerks who spoke English. The introduction of western education and the English language, though hailed as the most significant contribution of Britain to India, had its downsides. Emphasis placed on the English language led to the phasing out of most of the native languages. Western education also contributed to the institution of democracy through the teachings of philosophers such as Adam Smith and Voltaire. These philosophers mentioned above talked about democracy, equality, human rights and notions of freedom which instilled a desire for change in the Indian populous. In spite of the developments brought to the governmental and educational structures in India, the British also committed grave atrocities against the people of India.

Britain engineered the greatest genocides in history for profit (Chandra, 2010). The Bengal famine is reportedly the worst disaster ever recorded in history, and it was engineered by the British through their ruthless economic agendas in India. The British government lauded Dyer as a hero and paid him a lump sum of money. During the British Raj, the colonial masters extensively used division techniques that pitted different religions against each other. The Muslims and the Hindus were played against each other to the point where sectarian wars burst out towards the end of colonial rule. Many people were uprooted from their homes as the situation escalated quickly. In the end, colonial India was partitioned into India and Pakistan with Sikhs and Hindus remaining in India and Muslims in Pakistan.

National identities are crafted around the rivalry that has existed between the Hindus and Muslims since colonial times. The republics of India and Pakistan have done little in the way of resolving their conundrum. The countries have grown further apart in the course of time. The influence of outside powers is evident in the age-old rivalry between India and Pakistan as different European countries support either India or Pakistan depending on their relationship. Therefore, the current conundrum in the two countries is a replica of colonial times whereby outside forces influenced the situations and relations in the region. Taking on the approach of fulfilling national interests rather than government interests is a proper step towards indigenization of the Indian society. Indigenisation refers to the transformation of systems for the benefit of all citizens, especially indigenous citizens.