Book Title: The Colonial Subjugation of India
Author: Amar Farooqui
Published By: Aleph Book Company
British dominance over India from 1858 to 1947 is referred to as the colonial subjugation of India. India’s colonial subjugation is a terrible chapter in the country’s history. It began with the invasion of the East India Company in 1757 and lasted about 200 years.
During this time, India was subjected to repressive practices such as taxes, resource exploitation, and cultural oppression. These policies wreaked havoc on the Indian people, resulting in poverty, hunger, and displacement. Even after independence in 1947, the memory of colonialism has haunted India
During this period, India was administered as a colony by Britain and exploited for its riches, resulting in social, cultural, and economic changes in the nation. India was obliged to embrace British laws, policies, and administration, resulting in independence and sovereignty over its affairs. During this time, there was severe poverty, hunger, and tyranny, as well as resistance activities against British control.
Finally, India’s independence movement, spearheaded by stalwarts like Mohandas Gandhi, resulted in the country’s independence from British Rule in 1947. Britain’s colonial domination of India had a tremendous influence on the country. Some essential themes to ponder when reading this book include economic exploitation, political control, cultural effect, and resistance movements.
The Colonial Subjugation of India, written by renowned historian Amar Farooqui, tells the story of the British empire’s establishment in India and provides a minutely detailed account of the atrocities committed against the local populace to conquer it, as well as the coercive measures implemented to establish dominance.
The first chapter traces the rise of Britain as the leading colonial power in the Indian subcontinent, beginning with the arrival of Portuguese, Dutch, French, and, finally, British commercial ships in the Indian Ocean during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
The second chapter recounts the British government’s commercial monopoly granted to the East India Company, allowing it to operate in India and the Far East without competition.
This exclusivity and its control over marine lines provided the business with a considerable competitive edge in India. In India, the business progressively extended its trade network, building multiple trading ports along the coast and finally seizing control of its economy. In addition, the firm obtained control over the manufacturing and selling of items such as indigo, opium, and textiles. Many resistance movements arose as a result of military force and administrative control.
One of the book’s most interesting chapters is on the “Indirect rule” during the Dalhousie era. Dalhousie made various reforms and programmes that significantly influenced India during this period. Annexation of territory, infrastructure development, and administrative changes were among the primary policies and reforms of the Dalhousie era.
However, the British maintained control over India while reducing direct engagement in the country’s governance. It was interesting and thrilling to read the chapter about the 1857 revolution, sometimes referred to as the First War of Indian Independence, a significant movement against British control in India.
Overall, this book enables readers to deeply comprehend the nation’s predicament during British Rule, which everyone learned in school history books as a child.
Read More
- Book Review: The Nation and Its Citizens by Sukumar Muralidharan
- Book Review: Rajaraja Chola by Kamini Dandapani
- Book Review: The Making of a Catastrophe by Jayati Ghosh
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Read more stories in our January 2023 featuring Maharaj Devraj Singh
