Colonization in India From English

¶ … colonization in India from English colonization until today. Specifically it will discuss whether colonialism was a better alternative for India. When the British first began colonizing India in the mid 1750s, the country was ruled by emperors and other leaders who tried to fight British Imperialism, but could not win out over the powerful British. The British occupied Delhi in 1803, and the country was under British control from then until the 20th century. Since then, India has made great strides in many areas including their economy and in technology, which has helped the nation grow stronger and more successful.

While the British took over control of India in the early 19th century, it was not until 1857 and the Rebellion of 1857 that it became formal. In actuality, India was relatively profitable and successful before the English colonization. They were growing agriculturally and economically, and it was not until after the British took over that some of the legendary famines of Bengal and northern India occurred. Two historians note, "Overall, a favourable land-labour ratio had enabled highly mobile peasant and tribal labour to negotiate reasonable terms with controllers of land" (Bose, and Jalal 43). Essentially, India was becoming financially and politically strong when the English took over, and the British used that to their own advantage. Historians Bose and Jlal continue, "European dominance over external trade and shipping, and hence over long distance cash flows, as well as their slight edge in military technology, contributed to the wrecking of the eighteenth-century Indian regional state system" (Bose, and Jalal 46). Therefore, while India was certainly not on the level of Great Britain or the United States at the time, it had a viable economy, successful agriculture, and was on the brink of becoming a more powerful and successful nation. Under British rule, India became just another Third World country that sometimes had trouble feeding its people and could not make any decisions for itself. All that changed in 1947 when India and Pakistan were granted their freedom. The British attempted to control society, religion, and most of Indian beliefs. Another writer notes, "Certain Indian social or religious practices that the British found to be abhorrent were outlawed, such as sati in 1829, and an ethic of 'improvement' was said to dictate British social policies" (Lal). This led to the uprising of 1857, and indicates how strictly the British ruled India, and how they influenced whole generations of Indians. They used military force to keep the people in check, and their practices led to many freedom groups building up by the beginning of the 20th century, including the group led by Mahatma Gandhi, who fought for Indian independence throughout his adult life.

Of course, there are some advantages to British rule. Another writer notes, "Though the Indian languages were well developed before the arrival of the British in India, the standardization of these languages, and the creation of the first grammars and dictionaries, was achieved under British rule" (Lal). While there were some advantages, in British India, Indians were seen as second-class citizens, and they lived in a Third World country with few modern conveniences. In 1947, the country gained their independence from Great Britain, but the agreement also created Pakistan, and created divisions between Indians that have never mended, as a result.

India has evolved into a democracy that is becoming more industrialized and modern by the day. Much of the outsourcing of American jobs is taking place in India, helping its economy grow and prosper. India has capitalized on technology and it has helped the entire country. However, the road to this success was hard fought. Early political administrations suffered from accusations of corruption and scandal, and Indira Gandhi, the prime minister for several decades, was shot by her own bodyguards in 1984. Her son was also assassinated, and governments came and went during the 1990s. There has been so much political strife, it has been difficult for India to grow, but it has grown, and it is still growing and changing, becoming more economically feasible in Asia and the world.