Dbq Similarities And Disadvantages Of British Rule In India

Despite the fact that British rule in India during the Imperial period was extremely negative for the Indian people, it ultimately created an improved Indian nation. The British forced the idea of monoculture, were racist, created unfair trade and economic distress. However, they did provide an education system, improved human rights, promoted peace and created a more modern society for the Indian nation.

The British rule began in the early 1600’s. The Mughal rule was the government at the time but it was easily conquered by the British in the 1700’s because it was so weak and corrupt. (Todhunter, Katherine). The Mughal emperor was captured and the British East India Company functioned as the government. Following its rise to power, the British

The British used India’s abundance of resources to their advantage. Britain’s trade with India in 1860 was six times more than British trade was with Egypt and it was twelve times more than British trade with Brazil. By 1866, India's trade with Britain escalated. Britain gained an abundance of resources, while India received little in return (Doc 1). Britain bought India's natural resources, such as cotton, cheaply, and would then use their Industrial machines to make exceptional goods, which they sold back to the Indian people at a higher price (Doc 2).This was extremely profitable for the British (Imperialism in India). The modern British industries destroyed the previous cottage industries in India because goods were made faster and better in Europe (Doc 11). This also stopped the growth of new industries which could have lead to more jobs and a wealthier

Rudyard Kipling, an Englishman living in India wrote a poem titled “White Man’s Burden” that reflects this belief. In the poem he refers to the natives as half devil-half child, heathens, wild and sullen. The words Kipling used indicate that the British were racist. The white man's burden also develops the idea of social darwinism, making it seem like it was Britain's responsibility to colonize India although one can conclude that it was not “Britain's responsibility”. Cecil Rhodes a British businessman and a politician in South Africa truly showed how superior the British thought they were when he said, “ I contend that we the British are the first race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human