Summary

● Administrative Policies

Divide and Rule.

Hostility to educated Indians.

Zamindars and landlords propped as counterweights to the nationalists.

Reversal of policy of support to social reforms. Social services ignored.

Half-hearted and inadequate labour legislations introduced. Stifling of press wherever seen to be helping the nationalist upsurge.

Racial arrogance.

● British Social and Cultural Policies

● Foreign Policy

Reach out to natural geographical frontiers for internal cohesion and defence.

Keep other European powers at an arm’s length. Promote British economic and commercial interests.

Chapter 28

Economic Impact of British Rule in India

The major difference between the British colonists in India and earlier invaders was that none of the earlier invaders made any structural changes in Indian economy or drained away India’s wealth as tribute. British rule in India caused a transformation of India’s economy into a colonial economy, i.e., the structure and operation of Indian economy were determined by the interests of the British economy.

According to historians, at the beginning of the eighteenth century India had some 23 per cent of the world economy. This share came down to some 3 per cent when India got independence.

A detailed survey of the economic impact of British rule follows.