British Policies and Their Impacts
(The Trail)
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. The Bengal famine of 1770 was one of the most terrible famines in human history.
2. A large share of revenue collected by the Company in India had to be paid to the British government as home charges.
3. Under the Mahalwari system the revenue settlement was made with the village as a whole.
4. Before the advent of the British the Indian craftspeople operated at two levels - the rural and the urban levels.
5. Before the advent of the British the Indian textile industry was the finest and the largest in the world.
6. After the Battle of Plassey the Company used its political power to destroy the Indian handicraft industry and promote British industry.
7. With the spread of the Industrial Revolution in England, Indian markets were flooded with cheap and machine made textiles of British mills.
8. To eliminate competition from India's traditional industries, the British transformed India into a supplier raw materials and a market for British Products.
9. By 1850, India became a major importer of English textiles.
10. Lord Dalhousie introduced the railway system in 1853.
11. The Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Peshawar was reconstructed by the British in the 19th century.
B. Match the following.
=
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A |
B |
|---|---|
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1. Permanent Settlement |
a. encouraged education of Indians. [4] |
|
2. shipbuilding industry |
b. Lord Dalhousie. [3] |
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3. transport and communication development |
c. fixed revenue. [1] |
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4. Charter Act of 1813 |
d. Anglicist. [5] |
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5. Lord Macaulay |
e. Vishakhapatnam. [2] |
C. Choose the correct answer.
1. The Treaty of Allahabad/Madras/Benaras granted the English East India Company the right to collect revenue from Bihar, Bengal and Orissa.
2. To remove the defects of the revenue system lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement/Ryotwari system/Mahalwari system in 1793.
3. The Ryotwari system of revenue collection was introduced in Madras/Calcutta/Bombay Presidency.
4. The first railway line was from Bombay to Poona/Thane/Calcutta.
5. The Charter Act of 1813 directed the Company to spend 1/10/15 lakh rupees on the education of Indians.
D. State whether the following are true or false.
1. Before the advent of the British more than 90 per cent of Indians lived in villages. [T]
2. The Indian peasants were satisfied with the Company's revenue collection methods. [F]
3. The Permanent Settlement assured the Company a fixed revenue at a fixed time even during natural calamities. [T]
4. The development of transport and communication systems did not benefit Indians in any way. [F]
5. Lord Macaulay insisted that Western Education should be imparted through the medium of vernacular languages. [F]
E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/sentences.
1. Why did the Indian peasants begin to grow cash crops?
= Since revenue payments had to be paid in cash, the peasants began to grow cash crops like jute, cotton, sugar cane, etc. which could be sold for ready cash in the markets.
2. How did the company utilise the revenue from Bengal?
= i) A large share of the revenue had to be paid to the British government as 'home charges'. From 1767, the Company had to pay 400,000 pounds annually.
ii) The revenue from Bengal was also used to cover military and administrative costs.
iii) It was used to finance the trading activities of the Company.
3. What were the drawbacks of Warren Hasting's 5-year revenue settlement?
= The experiment was a dismal failure. The new Zamindars, unsure of retaining the contract of the next auction, had no permanent interest in the land and did nothing to improve it. The peasants were forced to meet the revenue targets.
4. How would the improved transport and communication system benefit the Indians later?
= Beside stimulating trade and commerce, it would bring the people of India closer to one another and infuse in them a sense of unity and nationalism - a development that would have far-reaching effects on India's future.
5. Which section of Indians gained from the British commercial policies?
= The Indian craftspeople gained from the British Commercial policies.
6. What was the significance of the Charter Act of 1813 in the context of British educational policy in India?
= The Charter Act of 1813 directed the Company to spend 1 lakh rupees on the education Indians. This was the first step taken by the British rulers towards the encouragement of the study of literature and science in India.
7. In what way would westernized Indians help to promote the interests of the British manufacturers?
= The newly educated Indian middle class was greatly influenced by the British culture. They developed a marked preference for European goods. This dealt a severe blow to manufacturers of luxury items.
8. How did knowledge of contemporary nationalists movement in Europe inspire the Indians?
= Knowledge of contemporary nationalist movement in Europe fired the Indians with an intense desire to build a new India - progressive, strong, prosperous and united. In course of time, the best among them became leaders of the national movement.
9. Mention any two positive effects of the introduction of English in the Indian educational system.
= i) It aroused in them an awareness of the evil effects of foreign rule.
ii) The teachings of modern European philosophers instilled in them an admiration for democratic institutions.
F. Answer the following questions in details.
1. In the context of Permanent Settlement of Bengal, answer the following questions.
a. Explain the special features of the Permanent Settlement.
= The Permanent Settlement system had two special features:
i) Permanent ownership of land: - The Zaminders were made permanent legal owner of the land from which they collected the land tax. The collector became the landlord.
The Zaminder's ownership rights became hereditary and he was given the freedom to sell or mortgage his land.
The cultivators of the land became the tenants of the zamindar and lost their ancestral rights. they had to pay a rent to the zamindar who could increase the rent as and when they wanted to.
ii) Fixed revenue: - The land revenue was fixed on a permanent basis. The Company could not make any further demands on the zamindars.
The zamindars had to pay the land revenue once a year on a specific date. If he failed to pay on time, his lands were confiscated and sold.
b. What are its advantages?
= i) The Company was assured of a fixed revenue at a fixed time even during natural calamities.
ii) The collection of revenue was simper and cheaper. The zamindars replaced hundreds of paid tax officials.
iii) The British won the support and loyalty of the powerful and privileged class of zamindars that they had created.
iv) As permanent owners of the lands, the zamindars took several steps to increase agricultural production whose benefits they would enjoy.
c. Briefly describe its disadvantages.
= i) The cultivators were left at the mercy of the zamindar, who exploited and oppressed them, increased their rents and evicted them from the land when they were unable to pay the high rents. This led to the wide spread poverty and misery of the cultivators.
ii) Since the revenue was fixed, the government would not get a share of increasing returns from the land.
iii) This system gave rise to a class of absentee landlords. These zamindars preferred to live in cities and towns and sublet their land to tenants at high rates. These tenants in turn sublet it to other tenants. As this process continued, the rent rate increased with each successive layer. The entire burden of paying the enhanced rates had to be borne by the actual cultivator - the last tenant.
iv) The absentee landlords did not take any interest in their land and did very little to improve conditions and promote agriculture. On the contrary, they invested their money in other activities like trade or banking or even on personal luxuries and a lavish life style.
2. With reference to Ryotwari and Mahalwari systems, answer the following questions:
a. Explain the features of the Ryotwari system.
= The Ryotwari System was introduced in the Madras Presidency. Its features were :
i) The cultivator(ryot) was recognized as the owner of his lands as long as he paid the land revenue.
ii) The revenue was paid directly by the cultivator to the revenue officials.
iii) The revenue was fixed at about half the total produce.
iv) The revenue was fixed for 30 years after which it could be revised.
v) Collection of revenue was rigid. There was no remission of revenue even when the crops failed.
b. What were the features of the Mahalwari System?
= The Mahalwari System was introduced in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
'Mahal' means a group of villagers. Under this system, land was collectively owned by the villagers. The revenue settlement was made with the village as a whole. The talukdar or head of the mahal collected the revenue and handed it over to the British collectors.
c. What were the fundamental changes introduced by these two systems in the traditional land system of the country?
= The Zamindari and Ryotwari system introduced fundamental changes in the traditional land systems of the country. Land became a commodity - a new form of property - which could be bought, sold and mortgaged as and when the need arose. The stability and continuity of the Indian villages were shaken and the traditional structure of rural society began to disintegrate.
3. The first century of the British rule resulted in the decay and destruction of traditional Indian trade and industry. Explain this statement with reference to the following questions:
a. Political powers of the Company.
= After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the Company used its political power to destroy the Indian handicraft industry and promote British industries. The Indian weavers were forced to sell their products to the Company at very low prices. To add to their miseries, they were compelled to buy inferior raw cotton at high prices from the Company officials who bought it from the Indian farmers at low rates.
b. Collapse of ruling dynasties and ruling courts.
= With the establishment and expansion of the British empire in India, the royal courts and the nobility of the ruling dynasties, (including the Mughals) collapsed one by one. The craftspeople and artisans were deprived of royal patronage and Indian handicrafts suffered a severe set back.
c. Decline of the modern Indian Industries.
= The British government also obstructed the growth of modern Indian industries to keep the country under developed and economically backward. Almost everything of daily use like niddles, pins, sewing machines, thread, soaps, biscuits, cycles, medicines, paper, etc. were imported from England.
4. With reference to the transport and communication system in India, answer the following questions:
a. Why and how did the British develop proper transport and communication facilities in India?
= The British realised the importance of developing proper communication facilities to consolidate their position in India and promote their industrial and commercial growth.
Steps were taken to link all the major cities, ports, agriculture centres and markets through an elaborate network of roads, canals and railways. Metalled roads, steamship and trains were introduced.
The first railway line was inaugurated in 1853 from Bombay to Thane by Lord Dalhousie. The Post and Telegraph department was also opened in the same year. The Grand Trunk Road (from Calcutta to Peshawar) was reconstructed.
b. How did the railways serve the interests of the British?
= The vastly improved communication system was established to serve British interests and geared to suit colonial needs. The railways ensured quick transfer of troops and ammunition during revolts and other disturbances and the easy transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods.
c. Explain how the improved communication system proved beneficial for the Indians.
= The transport and communication system, however, would ultimately benefit Indians in an unexpected ways. Besides stimulating trade and commerce, it would bring the people of India closer to one another and infuse in them a sense of unity and nationalism - a development that would have far-reaching effects on Indian's future.
5. The Charter Act of 1813 passed by the British Parliament was the first major step to introduce changes in the Indian system of Education. In this context, discuss:
a. The general directives issued to the company in the Charter Act of 1813 and its inherent weakness.
= The Charter Act of 1813 directed the Company to spend 1 lakh rupees on the education of India. This was the first step taken by the British rulers towards the encouragement of the study of literature and science in India. The Charter Act, however, did not lay down any specific guidelines. The money sanctioned for the education project lay untouched for two decades while a great controversy raged over the content and medium of education.
b. The Great Debate over the content and medium of education.
= One group favoured the promotion of traditional Indian learning through the medium of classical (Sanskrit and Persian) and regional languages. This group was known as the Orientalists. The other group, led by Lord Macaulay insisted that Western education should be introduced and imparted through the medium of English. This group was called Anglicists. William Bentinck supported Macaulay's views. In 1835, the government passed a resolution outlining its new education policy. The government would utilise its educational funds on teaching Western science and literature through the medium of the English language.
c. The introduction and spread of Western Education.
= The government began to set up English medium schools and colleges for the education of a limited number of Indians. In 1844, English became the official language and government announced that Indians educated in British schools would be given jobs in government services. this helped the spread of English education in India.
6. Wood's Despatch introduced further changes on the Indian education system. With reference to the above statement, answer the following questions.
a. What was the purpose behind the introduction of Western education in India?
= i) The primary motif of British government behind the introduction of Western education in India was to create a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but British in taste, opinions, morals and intellect. This class of Anglicized Indians could be employed, on low salaries, as clerks in the Civil Service.
ii) This would greatly reduce the heavy expenditure involve in running the administration. Employing the British in these posts was both expensive and difficult.
iii) Westernized Indians, it was hoped, would create a demand for British goods and promote the interest of British manufacturers.
iv) Western education would inculcate in the Indians a sense of admiration and respect for British rule. This would strengthen the foundation of the British empire in India.
b. How did introduction of Western education benefit the British?
= i) The British system of education produced English-speaking Indian graduates who helped their British masters to run the empire.
ii) It also created a class of Indians who were Westernised to the extent that they rejected Indian culture and patronised anything and everything that was British including British goods.
c. Explain how i) western education and ii) the English language led to the rise of a spirit of nationalism among the Indians.
= To build a nation, it was imperative to establish bonds of unity. Once again the imposition of English in the Indian education system proved to be a boon disguise.
i) English became the medium of communication and exchange of ideas between Indians from diverse regions speaking diverse languages.
ii) English broke down regional barriers and united educated Indians. A spirit of nationalism began to take shape.