Meredith Wade
PSC 1300
Dr. Lahiri
6 December 2015
Colonialism
Colonialism is a specific form of imperialism in which the colonizing nation exerts forthright power over the colonized country through economic, military, or political methods. While most people can agree that most parts of colonialism were brutal forms of economic exploitation, some argue that one form of colonialism was more beneficial to the colonized state than others. By examining the history and present impact of colonialism in both India and Rwanda it is clear…..
British involvement in India began in the first half of the 18th century (Marshall). The British had trading posts along different parts of the coast and at the beginning of the 18th century English commerce with India was contracted out by the East India Company, which held a monopoly of all English trade to Asia (Marshall). The East India Company wanted to bring luxury goods such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cottons, tea, and coffee into Europe.
Once in India, the British began to compete with the Portuguese, Dutch, and French for control of trade in India. Through a combination of combat and alliances, the East India Company gained complete control of all European trade in 1769. Once control had
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Most of their resources including silk, gold, and silver were shipped off to Britain and often auctioned off (“British Raj”) Subsistence farmers were forced into commercial farming of coffee, tea, and indigo which caused adversity for the farmers as well as skyrocketing food prices around India (“British Raj”). Import tariffs After an Indian uprising in 1857, the East India Company was abolished and the British government took back direct control of India (“The East India Company”). The state was both directly ruled by the United Kingdom government as well as principalities ruled by individuals under the strong influence of the British Crown (“British
The East India Company enjoyed the exclusive legal right – a privilege granted by the British government – to import products from the Far East into Britain. Chinese tea, which was said to be more valuable than gold, was the company’s most lucrative commodity, accounting for over 90 percent of its commercial profits.
Trade was a vital part of the economy of both England and the British colonies. The colonies would provide a majority of raw materials that would be shipped to England where then they would process raw materials into goods and sell them at markets provided by the colonies. Within this system both England and the colonies depended on each other for commerce. To further enforce this system on their oversees empire England enacted the Navigation Laws. In 1650 the first of these laws was aimed at keeping trade between the colonies limited only to their mother country, England. The law restricted trade of such shippers as the Dutch, by stating all goods must be transported on English vessels to or from the colonies. This helped keep money within British control, but also increased both England’s and the colonies’ merchant marine. Further laws were passed, but none that imposed strict regulations on the colonies. In fact the colonies received advantages from the mercantile system of England. As colonies of England they had the rights of Englishmen. They also had some opportunities of self-government. As compared economically to the average Englishmen of the time, the average American colonist was more often better off. In some markets, such as tobacco, the colonies had great advantages. Although not allowed to trade tobacco with any other country; they were guaranteed a monopoly on the English market. One of the major advantages of British imperialism was the protection supplied by the British army. With the strong soldiers providing defense against natives and other inter colonial disputes and the mighty British navy protecting their commerce on the seas; the colonies benefited from great advantages provided by their oversees “rulers';.
They built roads and railroads. British rule brought peace and order to the countryside. They revised the legal system to promote justice for the Indians, regardless of class. Indian landowners and princes, who still owned territory, grew rich from exporting cash crops such as cotton and jute. The British introduced the telegraph and the postal system as a means of communication.
A true saying is “Colonization often does more damage than contribution.” Colonialism encouraged Africa’s development in some areas, but in many others it severely damaged the natural progress of the continent. If colonialism was never imposed on Africa, Africa’s developments would be significantly different and many of the problems that the continent faces now would not exist today. In conclusion, at first it seems that colonialism has both positive and negative effects, but the truth is it only damages the colonized nation.
When European’s started their expeditions into the Indian Ocean, they already understood the significance of cities that are located on a body of water. This understanding was one of both transportation and of naval warfare. British trading in India was to bring both goods back to Britain but to also “develop new markets for Indian goods in Africa, and in the America’s.” (HISTORIC DYNAMICS) Britain’s expansion into new markets allowed them to grow their trade routes in the Indian Ocean. With a large variety of trade routes and trading partners Britain was able to trade with whomever they wanted. If there was a group that would was not happy with European countries then Britain was able to easily find another trading partner, a short distance away. This expansion into new markets also allowed Britain to gain more allies. This was important because at times Britain’s arm...
Imperialism in India British imperialism in India had many positive and negative effects on both the mother country, Britain and the colony, India. Many people would argue which effects were more prominent in these countries, and some would agree that they were equal. But in both cases, there were actually both. In India, the British colonization had more positive effects than negative. For instance, when the British colonized India they built 40,000 miles of railroad and 70,000 miles of paved roadway.
The rise of Imperialism in India began when the East India Company gained control of India after the decline of the Mughal Empire. East India Company was a joint-stock company that was established when Britain showed economic interest in India’s natural resources. Initially, the East India Company created trading posts in Surat, Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta mainly to increase trade. The East India Company traded in cotton, silk, tea, and opium. These East India Company trading posts were supported by British troops and private armies, also known as sepoys (Indian soldiers). The East India Company functioned as military authority in parts of India with an increase in administrative and political powers. The East India Company ruled India until 1858.
...n, colonialism did impact Rwanda in a massive way. Since the beginning of Rwandan history, the division and class system between the Hutus and Tutsis was something unavoidable, especially during that time period. The class division, who had superior power in Rwanda, and the totalitarian system after their independence from the Belgians, is what led to the genocide in 1994. Through history there are always parts of the world that have been migrated by many different people which can lead to these different groups of people to fight for power and land in order to justify who got there first or who were there more of. Issues like the one between the Hutus and Tutsis is something that will keep repeating itself no matter where it occurs.
For centuries, India was a country of separate dynasties and kingdoms, which often led to a wide variety of cultural and ethnic tensions and continuous change of power for many of the kingdoms. They viewed each other as enemies, which created an opportunity for countries, such as England, to invade and eventually rule much of the country. Britain colonized the Indian subcontinent (present-day countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) from 1757 until 1947 (Iyer 2). Not all areas were directly under British control, in other cases Indian rulers governed them, and power was split between the two (Iyer 2). For the British, India was strategically placed in terms of geography, manpower, natural resources, and land, as well as many other sectors (Maddison 1).
"All the leadership had spent their early years in England. They were influenced by British thought, British ideas, that is why our leaders were always telling the British "How can you do these things? They're against your own basic values.". We had no hatred, in fact it was the other way round - it was their values that made us revolt." -Aruna Asaf Ali, a leader of the Indian National Congress. (Masani, quoted in Wood, 32, 1989)
India was where the riches of the world came from, the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. The British needed to dispel the threat of other Europeans in Africa to maintain control of India, and they did so efficiently. They quickly gained control of both the major sea routes to India and then turned their eyes to the rest of the continent. Whether the British were trying to foster public support or prevent another nation from becoming a threat, all British actions in Africa were directly or indirectly linked to India. The British were motivated by their desire to become powerful, and they skillfully combined enterprise and conquest to create a globe spanning empire centered around the wealth of India.
Genocide, destruction, poor infrastructure, Rwanda a recovering country that cannot shed it’s bad reputation. Before Belgium colonized Rwanda there were Hutu’s and Twa’s, later on in the 1300’s the Tutsi’s migrated over. When these ethnic groups met they created a common culture and language, they were equals. However the ethnic divisions perpetuated by Belgium resulted in a Genocide that tarnished Rwanda’s global image. People can note that Belgiums reign created chaos and terror, in addition politic issues regarding government power and the treatment of it’s people shaped modern day Rwanda.
The British administered India for a period of about two centuries and brought about revolutionary changes in
India was the first major Asian civilizations to fall victim to European predatory activities (Duiker 31). With conquering India, the British had various purposes behind it. Their main purpose was to achieve a monopolistic trading position (The Economic and Social Impact of Colonial Rule in India). The second purpose was the control of India; this was a key element in the world power structure, in terms of geography, logistics and military manpower (The Economic and Social Impact of Colonial Rule in India). When the East India Company continued to trade under the British, huge armies were created, largely composed of Indian sepoys (Marshall). The armies were used to defend the Company’s territories protect the Indian states (Marshall).
Colonialism was a concept of superiority of one territory over another; it was a concept that originated centuries ago. Colonialism had been put into action throughout a long line of history and did not end after World War II in 1945. Even with resistance and efforts from independent states after the war, colonialism did not disappear and continued as a dominant system. It remained and changed its form, resulted in the process of globalization, which continued to control over newly independent states following World War II. Globalization, a form of colonialism, maintained power for the system over states or regions through economic terms with the development of the World Bank, and its derivation of structural adjustments. This financial institution was formed and contributed to colonialism; it assisted in the economic affairs of colonized nation(s). Along with class, professor Manfred B. Steger's book, Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, and I.B. Logan and Kidane Mengisteab's article, "IMF – World Bank Adjustment and Structural Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa," discussed the indirect rule of colonial powers through globalization.