Positive Impact of British Imperialism on India

The British Imperialism had a positive impact on India. When they had conquered India in 1858, India was not subjected to the influences of the western world, except for trade with the Greeks. THey ruled through the East India Company. The British did not do much for Indian Economy. In fact, taxes were raised and famine was the aftereffects of it.

In the earth 19th century, the British encouraged agriculture, which decreased nomads and pastors. The British took up a logging operation that made most of the forests treeless. Which made more room for farmers, but is bad for the environment. India was a big part of British economy. They gave Britain a balance of trade.

The British had built roads, railways, canals, irrigation, mills, and factories to further the increase in economy and transportation. They kept the level of conflicts down by supplying western law, police systems, modernized cities, and educated them by building more schools that taught western subjects. Though the British had brought on a better economy, educated Indians began wishing for India's freedom from the grasp of the British.

The British had not tried to impose Christianity on the Indians until public

pressure forced them to in the 1830s and 1840s. Though they mostly weren't maltreated, Indians were treated as a lower class than Europeans. They were not accepted as true equals, and that soon aroused rebellions. Knowing all this, the Indian elite were still heavily influenced by European ideas and way of life, i.e. they attempted to be as European as possible.

When the British adopted India into their empire, India was ruled under the Queen. There were people sent to keep watch over the Indians. Since the British's conquering of India, Muslims and Hindus have been conflicting. Perhaps the reason for this is because overall, Hindus adapted to English education more readily than the Muslims; therefore being more "advanced" then the Muslims. Perhaps that caused conflicts to arise as intellect splits peoples apart most of the time.

At the time, there was a majority of Hindus, a minority of Muslims and a handful of other religions. Shortly after the arrival of the British, they started imposing Christianity on the Indians by way of missionaries. Not many Indians converted, but it's the thought of the British attempting to bring in a mostly European religion into India that counts.

The conflicts between the Hindus and Muslims have been quite brutal. One would strike out, and the other would retaliate. The cycle is similar to that of the Israelis and the Pakistanis in the Middle East. Both religions had the same chances at British education, but mostly Hindus took advantage of it. The British takeover had improved their worldviews and education levels.

With the improvement of education came also some science advances. Their cities were more modernized, and they were introduced to the European water system, etc. Life seemed great under British rule, but there was still that feeling of superiority that the English regarded the Indians with. Soon the resentment, fueled rebellions and conflicts between the British and the Indians. Eventually India became free, and a few things were changed. For instance, they changed their government to a democracy, now they have a president, prime minister, etc.

Overall, the British Imperialism had a positive affect, it united the scattered bits of India into an empire, though it split into Pakistani and India later on. I think it'd be the same with pretty much any colony, to crave freedom from the "motherland". India, once they were educated and finally taken the last straw of mistreatment, wanted freedom. America, the thirteen colonies, after being oppressed and harshly taxed, got her freedom too. Yet without the British influence on either of these two countries, they wouldn't be as they are now.

India wouldn't be as scientifically advanced, since Britain was the one who lifted the economy, improved education, etc. Though India suffered poverty and famine under British rule, it also advanced in economy and administration. I stand to my decision that India had an overall positive influence from British Imperialism.

Information from: Textbook pgs. 854-861, p. 856 "Macaulay Writes on Indian Education", and Compton's Encyclopedia article on India.