Asian Studies

    The British plays an important role in Indias history. While the English venture in India started as early as 1600, following the formation of the English East India Company, the extension of the British formation in the country could be traced during the 18th century (India, 2002).  This involvement could be broken up into points the first t mid-century and the other at the end at mid-century.

     At the start of the British involvement, the focus was mainly for trading purposes. The establishment of the company was proof of that. However, as the British presence expanded, the British merchants found themselves with increasing yet undefined power in India.  By the middle of the 18th century, Britain and France had started to battle for colonial supremacy (Goff, Moss, Terry, Upshur, 1993). Indias location, linking the East and the Europe, made the country a big prey.  By 1760s, the British had won over France (1993). Thus began the countrys extension of British power.  By 1765, the British Empire had had India as a territorial dominion. This meant that British had started to exercise its political power in India, with the state now intervening with affairs of the East India Company (India, 2002).

    Towards the end of the century, British had control of not only the province of Bengal but also the other states, to Delhi and even some parts of southern India.  By this time, the extension of the political power had exerted into a social, economic, and military kind. The British administration had started to introduce measurements which they thought would benefit the India. This includes correcting Indian practices viewed as wrong by Western standards like sati or burning of upper-caste widows alive on their husbands funeral pyres  (Goff, Moss, Terry, UIpshur, 1993).  Used to the idea of political unity and lordship, the Indians took on the British ways, admiring them for being more successful.  However, the old ruling class did not easily adopt the British. 

    The Mughal Empire, at its heyday, was noted for its rather resourceful and centralized organization, focusing on a wide array of personnel, money, and information devoted to the service of the emperor and his nobility.

    The success of the Mughal Empire could be attributed to the swelling commercial and cultural tries of India to the outside world. After all, the 16th and 17th centuries expanded Indias trading with European and non-European trading companies in the subcontinent (McNall Burns, Ralph, Lerner, Meacham, 1986). Aside from the military conquests that ensued during the Mughal Empire, one prominent feature of it, particularly during Akbars reign was the establishment of a cogent administrative structure as well as a clear policy, enabling the Mughal Empire to have an established foundation (1986).  In addition, the Mughal Empire was also responsible for a revenue system that proved advantageous towards both the peasants and the state.  In the same line, the Mughal society, under Akbar, experienced the development of a coinage system (1986).

    However, the centralization measures were also the start of the downfall of the Mughal Empire.  Everything was controlled by the Emperor, even the shipping fleets, and this ultimately led to resistance and rebellion in some people. There were also growing tension between the Muslims and the non-Muslims. Soon, political and decentralization took place, resulting in the decline of the Mughal empire.
     Political and economic centralization is beneficial if all ties strong, meaning there is a strong sense of interdependence among all aspects of society.  However, when there are only few power- holders, there would really come a time when the majority would react and insists their independence.   The start of the Mughal Empire was positive but its end decayed.  In hindsight, the Mughal Empire offered prosperity for the rich and hardship for the poor- in other words, it was doomed from the start. At its finest, it gave birth to Akbars administrative methods and a sound currency.

    By 1857, the British that absolute control over the Indian subcontinent- establishing an authoritarian system of government (India, 2002).  However, given Indias steeped tradition, the country had yet to fully embrace the British rule. In fact, the colony had witnessed social dislocation, the result of the gap between traditions and the new Western concept.  The Sepoy Mutiny on 1857 is an example of the growing conflicts between the Indians and the British.

    The cause of the Sepoy Mutiny was rooted in military parlance.   The British had started to supply breech-loading Enfield rifles, which had to be bitten off before putting n (India, 2002). The ammunition was of mixed beef and pork, which offended both Muslims and Hindus (2002). Naturally, the Sepoys did not want to use this and although the British had retrieved them, the damage was already done and the seed of anger had already been planted.  This resulted in Sepoys killing British soldiers (2002).  This went on and turned into a full-scale revolt.

    But it was not only the simple Indians that had started to get on the spirit of the Indian nationalism. Several English educated young Indians had also gone on with the nationalism fever. These included Mahadev Ranade, who founded the Poona Public Society, a provincial political association and Gangaddhar Tilka, a journalist who went on to criticize the British rule  in print (India, 2002).  Special mention should also be given to Rammohun Roy, the man most Indians called The Maker of Modern India (2002). The mans idea of change was rooted in religious modernism that could go at up with the progressive movement that was influencing Western countries.

    With any colony, it is expected that at some point, the colonists would seek their independence. This was clearly manifested by the Indians during the British reign.  The seeds of revolution could come from uneducated people to the most educated. It just goes to show that change happens, that the environment helps in shaping up peoples thoughts and emotions.

    Starting out as a trading relationship, the Britain- India relationship turned into a colony relationship.  With the lines of contact blurred, the British managed to totally control India.   This writer agrees that the British rule, although marred by disputes, helped the Indian achieve modern nationalism.  India, as aforementioned, is a country immense in traditions, and during the British reign, they were able to gain ideas about social reform and popular sovereignty. In other words, the reign had a purpose although perhaps the British at the tie thought of only in terms of colony.  The Indians became aware of other cultures and ideas which only made them more nationalistic.  In fact, at one point, to show anti-British sentiment, the Indians refused to attend and consume British goods and schools. But at the same, they were opened to new ideas and reforms.  These included the aforementioned abolition of satti as well as the Age of Consent Act in 1892, which increased the marriageable age of girls (Goff, Moss, Terry, Upshur, 1993).  Furthermore, it had completely changed the nature of Indian upper-class society for not only did they want independence, they wanted independence that was modelled after the successful Western countries.

    In terms of the economy, the British were able to improve Indias economy through railroad development.  It paved the way for the countrys trading opportunities.  The British colonization also proved beneficial in terms of education. It used to be that Indian girls did not go to school. However, the arrival of the English changed that and in 1849, British missionaries established the first educational institution for girls (Goff, Moss, Terry, Upshur, 1993).