British Raj Imperialism

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The British Raj was the direct British rule over the Indian subcontinent between 1858-1947 which was established due to the rebellion of 1957 by British Sepoys (local Indian Soldiers), and murder of British officers due to the British greatly disrespecting the cultural values of both Hindus and Muslims. As a result, the British established an imperial legislative council under the Government of India Act 1958. (Britannica, 1998) Due to a lack of British manpower and resources, the crown relied heavily on the cooperation of semi-autonomous princely states ruled by Maharajahs. Part of the cooperation came down to the Maharajahs (“great rulers”) being able to rule their kingdoms independently, so long as they recognised the crown and remained …show more content…

This was done through the establishment of beneficial deals between the EITC and Indian kingdoms run by Maharajahs. Colonialism occurred due to external influences during the Age of Discovery, where intense competition between European powers such as the “Scramble for Africa” led to the colonisation of the Indian subcontinent (also known as the British Raj). There was also the threat to private British ventures by both local rebellions and influence from foreign powers such as the French during the Anglo-French Wars (1109-1815) and the Napoleonic wars (1803-1815). c. Government of India Act 1935 The Government of India Act (implemented on 1st April 1937) was a piece of legislation that helped progress India to becoming an All-Indian independent nation. The act established public commissions at both state and local level, paving the way for future Indian …show more content…

On 2nd August 1935, the INC and the British Imperial legislature came to an agreement on implementing the Government of India Act (1935), allowing the establishment of local and provincial bodies elected by Indians. allowing 35 million to vote. 55, Nelson Modern History (India). ii. The. The Muslim League: The All-India Muslim League (founded Darkha, 1906) was a political party established by Khwaja Salimullah to advocate for the interests of the Muslim minority in British India. The League was formed as a response to represent Muslims on the subcontinent due to the rise of the INC, and the fear of being oppressed/ruled by a Hindu majority amidst the ongoing progression towards independence. Although dominated early by Muslim nationalists, it was not until Muhammad Ali Jinnah and new concepts such as the “two state solution” where the Muslim League would consolidate it’s stance regarding the future of it’s people and it’s participation on the subcontinent. 78-79, Nelson Modern History (India). The Muslim league had strong sense of separatism, as well as religious conservative values which were reinforced by Muslim elitists including Jinnah

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