British Raj
The British Raj refers to the period from 1857 to 1947 when British colonial rule predominated over much of India. Initially, the British East India Company established trading posts, but over time, as the Mughal Empire weakened, Britain expanded its control, eventually governing about 60% of India directly and influencing the remaining regions through local rulers. The British Raj brought significant infrastructural developments, including railroads and modernization efforts, which some argue benefited the economy and improved life expectancy. However, these advancements often came at the expense of native rights, as many Indians remained second-class citizens, facing systemic discrimination and exploitation. The period was marked by increasing resentment, culminating in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which the British labeled as a rebellion but is viewed by many Indians as a pivotal moment in their struggle for independence. The independence movement gained momentum through the early 20th century, with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi advocating for nonviolent resistance against British rule. Ultimately, the British relinquished control in 1947, leading to the partition of India and the formation of Pakistan, a decision influenced by rising communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims. The legacy of the British Raj continues to be a subject of debate, with various perspectives on its impact on India’s history and society.
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British Raj
The term "British Raj" refers to the period from 1857 to 1947, during which the British government took control of most of India. Historians still debate about the long-term effects of British colonialism in India and whether it was ultimately good or bad for India's populace. Some historians point out that with the British came infrastructure, an introduction to globalism, high-quality schools for the wealthy, and more business opportunities than ever before. They also note that British rule could not have happened without the willing cooperation of thousands of native Indians. Other historians contend that only the upper class saw any benefit from British rule, natives in general were kept as second-class citizens, and famines intentionally caused by Great Britain killed countless natives.
Overview
In the 1650s, the British East India Company had only small trading colonies on the coast of India and no intention of conquering and taking control of the country. At the time, the Mughal Dynasty firmly controlled India, as it had for more than one hundred years. However, when a Mughal emperor began persecuting Hindus, Mughal control began to slip. Dissent spread throughout the country, and the East India Company had to use its soldiers to defend its trading settlements. Additionally, the French began to push into India, further necessitating Britain's use of its military.
Because India was so far from France and Britain (at least nine months' travel), both nations trained large numbers of "sepoys," or native Indian soldiers. Despite having an inferior number of soldiers, Britain drove France out of India. About 60 percent of the country was then claimed as British territory. While Britain did not directly control the remaining 40 percent of the country, it installed puppet governments and bribed regional rulers into following British rule. This gave Britain complete control over India.
Now that Britain was in control, individual East India Company workers amassed incredible wealth through various deals with natives. However, the company itself was accumulating massive amounts of debt. After it applied for a loan to avoid bankruptcy, Britain's Parliament began to exercise direct supervision over its interactions in India. A slew of governor-generals followed, many of whom had vastly different policies from leaders in India. Native Indians remained second-class citizens in their own nation and tensions between the natives and the British began to rise.
In 1857, many Indians began a vicious rebellion against British rule. Large numbers of Indian peasants and British-trained soldiers took up arms on both sides of the rebellion, and both sides committed horrendous atrocities. Britain ultimately emerged victorious. Thereafter, the British government referred to the event as the Great India Mutiny so that people would believe the large, well-organized rebellion was actually just a few riotous sailors. Indians later referred to it as the First War of Indian Independence.
The Great Mutiny proved to be the end of the East India Company. In the eyes of the British government, the company had proven it was completely unable to manage the situation. The British government took direct control of governing India, and Queen Victoria formally disbanded the East India Company a short time later.
Being under the control of Britain revolutionized the Indian economy. It began smelting iron and soon became the most successful in the world at that time. The British also helped India develop Asia's longest railroad system, water purifiers, anti-malaria medicine, and other useful types of infrastructure. The life expectancy of the average Indian citizen increased significantly during this time. These advancements were genuinely well intentioned by the British, who were attempting to improve and modernize their territory. However, many of the native citizens resented having to modernize so quickly. They did not want to change their way of life or their professions. Additionally, they knew the British would be the ones to ultimately profit from the new additions to India.
The First World War proved difficult and costly for the British. The natives were promised that if they enlisted in the British army, the government in India would begin to transition to Indian control. Indians then enlisted in great numbers and fought alongside the standard British troops. However, despite providing the allies with tens of thousands of additional soldiers, the Indians never received the promised governmental reforms. The Indian people served in a similar manner during World War II, but again, the British never brought about the promised reforms.
Throughout the World Wars, the independence movement within India had continued to grow in strength. Every decision by the British seemed to bring more dissatisfied people into the movement. When at one point the people would have been satisfied with a homebrew-style government, they now wanted the total expulsion of the British from India. The charismatic political leader Mahatma Gandhi had become consistently more popular and influential among the people. He strongly advocated against submitting to the will of the British. However, even though the British routinely used violence against the Indian people (such as the Amritsar Massacre, at which British officer Reginald Dyer ordered his forcers to open fire on an unarmed and unsuspecting crowd, killing hundreds), Gandhi was staunchly against its use. He believed that nonviolent civil disobedience was the only moral way to liberate India from British control. Gandhi's followers met violence with staunch resolution, not more violence. Many were beaten, shot, and killed. However, they continued to resist British rule nonviolently. Eventually, Gandhi's attempts succeeded, and Britain agreed to forfeit its claims in India. However, due to growing hostility between Muslims and Hindus, Britain gave a large portion of the territory to the Muslim population of India to form Pakistan.
Bibliography
Butler, Chris. "FC123: British Rule in India (c.1600-1947)." The Flow of History. Flowofhistory.com. 2007. Web. 16 Jul. 2014.
CWGC. "The Indian Army in the Second World War.” CWGC. Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Forever India. Web. 16 Jul. 2014.
History. "Mohandas Gandhi." History. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Web. 16 Jul. 2014.
National Archives. "Case Study 4 Backround: Living in the British Empire: India." National Archives. The National Archives. Web. 16 Jul. 2014.