Imperialism In India

Words: 644
Pages: 3

Imperialism In India Great Britain's vast empire stretched all around the world, from Asia to Africa and North America. India was one of the many colonies of Great Britain, established for over a century. The colony of India was originally controlled by an English company known as the East India Company. In the nineteenth century, however, Great Britain took over control of India and established it as one of its most prized possessions. With a tremendous population of laborers, new markets, and an extensive amount of raw materials India grew more and more valuable to the British. Major controversy arose as people were struggling to figure out if Great Britain had negative or positive effects on the colony of India. Although Britain vigorously …show more content…
Government positions in India were rarely occupied by the natives themselves. “Europeans [the British] occupy almost all the higher places in every department of government…” (Document #2 by Dadabhai Naoroji). Therefore none of the people of India got any representative or say in what the government said or did. Unemployment, and poverty also spread throughout the colony of India, leaving people hungry and without a job in their own country. Not only that, but the people were also forced to buy British goods subsequently driving all local producers elsewhere. Furthermore, since the British forced natives to only buy their goods they restricted the economy of India and economic development stopped. “For a hundred years you have done everything for us. You have given us no responsibility…” (Document #7 by Mohandas Gandhi). The British ran India as if the colony was always a part of its country, leaving nothing but starvation and desire for change for the people. However Britain did have disadvantages to being in control of India. This would include having to protect and provide for all of India’s needs and control rebellion and dissatisfaction from the people. With the colonization of subcontinent India many disadvantages arose, including economic and political restrictions, but immeasurable advantages emerged as