To what extent was the British
Empire in India an exploitative and
violent institution?
Answer with reference to the years 1855 to 1947.
2
, To what extent was the British Empire in India an exploitative and violent institution? Answer
with reference to the years 1855 to 1947.
It has been argued since the establishment of the British Raj in 1857, whether or not the
British Empire was an exploitative and violent institution to India, as although colonialism
enabled social reformations to occur, the Empire equally financially and physically abused
the country. Under the occupation of the British Raj, six major famines terrorised India killing
in total roughly 85 Indian civilians (Anwar), whilst the institution continued to export food from
India’s already limited food supply. Similarly, the Empire continuously failed to accept
responsibility for the injustices that they imposed on India both in regards to the tragedies
and massacres. It can be suggested that the Empire's attempt to ‘civilise’ India however did
benefit the country as education and the medical sector improved and benefitted the lives of
those living in the country. Although the British Empire’s colonialism of India both benefitted
and disbenefitted the country, it cannot be denied that such benefits were made in an
attempt to make India appear more Western, or as the Empire believed, more civilised.
In his 2016 novel ‘An Era of Darkness: The British Empire’, secondary historian Shashi
Tharoor, argues that the British Empire was a violent and exploitative institution which
terrorised India. Shashi Tharoor was born in London to Malayali parents in 1956, however at
two years old, his family returned to the city of Bombay (or, modernly known as Mumbai.)
Tharoor released his novel following mainstream encouragement after a speech he
performed at 2015 Oxford Union caught the attention of the public. Although Tharoor has
released 23 novels since 1981, ‘An Era of Darkness: The British Empire’ is his most popular
with a 4.5 rating on Amazon. As well as being a historian and author, Tharoor also has a
critically acclaimed career as a politician, having occupied the role of ‘Under-Secretary
General for Communications and Public Information’ as well as ‘Minister of State for External
Affairs’ and ‘Minister of Human Resource Development.’ Tharoor’s political understanding of
India’s politics as well as his understanding as an Indian citizen growing up in a post colonial
India, enables his novel to create a valid and justified explanation of the Empire’s brutal
treatment of the country.
In his 2004 novel ‘Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World’, secondary historian Niall
Ferguson, argues that although the British Empire was cruel, the likes of the French and
Portuguese Empires would have only been equally cruel to India. Niall Ferguson was born in
Scotland during the 1960s to a family which generated wealth from their involvement in the
British Empire’s occupation of India and Kenya where his uncle and grandfathers served as
officers. Feguson’s writings have been publicly accused as being racist for his praisal of the
Empire as well as his suggestions that Anglicanism enabled the modernity of Asia. Ferguson
has worked as a lecturer for both Cambridge and Oxford University until his retirement from
teaching in the mid 2000s, to pursue a television and journalist career. Ferguson’s privilege
makes his novel valuable as it creates a well balanced understanding of the British Empire’s
perspective as well as enables the actions of the Empire to be further justified and
understood from another angle.
Source A is a photograph taken by British soldier and ammeuture photographer, Willoughby
Wallace Hooper. The 1876 photograph depicts the lives of ten malnourished individuals
living in the city of Bangalore during ‘The Great Famine of 1876 to 1878.’ The source is
valuable to be authored by Hooper, as in 1878, he was publicly accused of exploitation when
Empire in India an exploitative and
violent institution?
Answer with reference to the years 1855 to 1947.
2
, To what extent was the British Empire in India an exploitative and violent institution? Answer
with reference to the years 1855 to 1947.
It has been argued since the establishment of the British Raj in 1857, whether or not the
British Empire was an exploitative and violent institution to India, as although colonialism
enabled social reformations to occur, the Empire equally financially and physically abused
the country. Under the occupation of the British Raj, six major famines terrorised India killing
in total roughly 85 Indian civilians (Anwar), whilst the institution continued to export food from
India’s already limited food supply. Similarly, the Empire continuously failed to accept
responsibility for the injustices that they imposed on India both in regards to the tragedies
and massacres. It can be suggested that the Empire's attempt to ‘civilise’ India however did
benefit the country as education and the medical sector improved and benefitted the lives of
those living in the country. Although the British Empire’s colonialism of India both benefitted
and disbenefitted the country, it cannot be denied that such benefits were made in an
attempt to make India appear more Western, or as the Empire believed, more civilised.
In his 2016 novel ‘An Era of Darkness: The British Empire’, secondary historian Shashi
Tharoor, argues that the British Empire was a violent and exploitative institution which
terrorised India. Shashi Tharoor was born in London to Malayali parents in 1956, however at
two years old, his family returned to the city of Bombay (or, modernly known as Mumbai.)
Tharoor released his novel following mainstream encouragement after a speech he
performed at 2015 Oxford Union caught the attention of the public. Although Tharoor has
released 23 novels since 1981, ‘An Era of Darkness: The British Empire’ is his most popular
with a 4.5 rating on Amazon. As well as being a historian and author, Tharoor also has a
critically acclaimed career as a politician, having occupied the role of ‘Under-Secretary
General for Communications and Public Information’ as well as ‘Minister of State for External
Affairs’ and ‘Minister of Human Resource Development.’ Tharoor’s political understanding of
India’s politics as well as his understanding as an Indian citizen growing up in a post colonial
India, enables his novel to create a valid and justified explanation of the Empire’s brutal
treatment of the country.
In his 2004 novel ‘Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World’, secondary historian Niall
Ferguson, argues that although the British Empire was cruel, the likes of the French and
Portuguese Empires would have only been equally cruel to India. Niall Ferguson was born in
Scotland during the 1960s to a family which generated wealth from their involvement in the
British Empire’s occupation of India and Kenya where his uncle and grandfathers served as
officers. Feguson’s writings have been publicly accused as being racist for his praisal of the
Empire as well as his suggestions that Anglicanism enabled the modernity of Asia. Ferguson
has worked as a lecturer for both Cambridge and Oxford University until his retirement from
teaching in the mid 2000s, to pursue a television and journalist career. Ferguson’s privilege
makes his novel valuable as it creates a well balanced understanding of the British Empire’s
perspective as well as enables the actions of the Empire to be further justified and
understood from another angle.
Source A is a photograph taken by British soldier and ammeuture photographer, Willoughby
Wallace Hooper. The 1876 photograph depicts the lives of ten malnourished individuals
living in the city of Bangalore during ‘The Great Famine of 1876 to 1878.’ The source is
valuable to be authored by Hooper, as in 1878, he was publicly accused of exploitation when
