- Question for UPSC Mains: Freedom Struggle
- Introduction (Origin of East India Company)
- Conclusion
- Self-Assessment Benchmarks & Common Mistakes
Question for UPSC Mains: Freedom Struggle
Q. “The process of British imperial expansion in India was driven by the consanguinity / interrelatedness among revenue, commerce and military exigencies /factors.” Discuss. (250 words, 15marks)
प्रश्न: "भारत में ब्रिटिश साम्राज्य विस्तार की प्रक्रिया राजस्व, वाणिज्य और सैन्य अनिवार्यताओ के बीच की सगोत्रता / पारस्परिकता से प्रेरित थी।" चर्चा करें।
Ans:
- First, read the book Plassey to Partition, Chapter#1- Atleast from the Battle of Plassey. Available on Amazon | हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
- Then write the Answer and Watch my Youtube video to study the model Answer structure & list of benchmarks for self-assessment of your answer.
Introduction (Origin of East India Company)
- The English East India Company (EIC) was founded by a royal charter on 31/12/1600, to combat Dutch competition in Indian trade.
- Originally, EIC was not given any overt mandate to carry on conquest or colonization. But following factors motivated EIC pursue imperial expansion in India…
- Or EIC setup with sole purpose of trading with India, but it became an instrument of imperial expansion over the period of time… <BODY>
Body#1: Commercial Exigencies (व्यापारिक अनिवार्यताए)
The British believed in ‘Mercantile policy’, i.e. import by paying in gold / silver was seen as a ‘loss’ to Britain. Hence, they wanted to import at throw-away prices, without having to pay taxes to any local Nawab or facing any competition from the French, Dutch or any other European power. As a result:
- 1750s: Robert Clive feared that Siraj ud-Daula's friendship with the French will harm East India company's trading privileges. It escalated into Battle of Plassey, Battle of Buxur and Treaty of Allahabad- which granted Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the EIC.
- 1780s: Tipu Sultan stopped local traders from exporting sandalwood, silk etc. to EIC. He began trading with the French. Military action / annexation became necessary
- 1810s: Company exported Gujarat cotton and Awadh cotton through Bombay port but Maratha presence in Deccan, created hinderance. So, military action / annexation became necessary.
- EIC exported Awadh Cotton to China. But Nawab demanded more tax, so Dalhousie- annexed the state for “Mis-governance”
Body#2: Military Exigencies (सैन्य अनिवार्यताए)
- Company’s military officers always believed in vigorous display of sword to discourage internal and external enemies. They attached Burma and Nepal as ‘preemptive strike’ before those rulers encroached into Company’s Indian holdings.
- Annexed states provided cheap soldiers in abundance number for empire’s local and international wars such as the First World War.
- Anglo-French rivalry: The British feared Napoleon sending help to Tipu. 4th Anglo- Mysore war became inevitable.
- 1840s: The EIC wanted Punjab to serve as buffer state against Afghan-invaders. Bentick signed Indus Navigation Treaty with Ranjit Singh. But after the death of Ranjit Singh, there was political instability in Punjab, so it annexed.
- 1850s: Britain feared Russian expansion after the Crimean war. So, the British tried to capture Afghanistan to secure North-West frontier.
Body#3: Military Exigency (राजस्व / महेसुली अनिवार्यताए)
- Company’s commercial profit were insufficient for its military campaigns.
- The British believed in Mercantilism, so they’d not send “GOLD” from their homeland for military campaigns or to pay for the imports or even for building Railways for transporting commodities. All the financial resources had to be mobilized from within India. Therefore, company had to start collecting land-revenue from peasants.
- 1765: Treaty of Allahabad granted the Company the diwani (revenue collecting rights) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
- To maximize their revenue collection, the Company official came up with three types of revenue settlement systems. The deficiencies & misuse of these systems led to land evictions, tribal displacement, and armed rebellions such as the Santhal Uprising. So, again the Company faced military exigency.
Conclusion
- EIC officials wanted stable frontiers for smooth trade & commerce. It motivated them for military campaigns. But such campaigns were expensive, therefore company needed to secure revenue rights by annexing Indian states.
- Thus, EIC – a commercial company became an instrument of imperial expansion. (40 words)
Self-Assessment Benchmarks & Common Mistakes
Parameter | Marks | Benchmarks |
---|---|---|
Introduction and conclusion |
0-2 |
|
Conclusion |
0-2 |
|
Body |
1 to 4 marks |
|
Logical structure |
0 to 1 |
|
Concise expression |
-1 to 1 |
|
Language |
-1 to 0 |
|
Total Marks out of 15 |
0 to 8 |
|
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Great guidance sir, please make a similar article on essay writing before mains exam sir.
Great article, please make a similar article on how to write an essay before mains sir. It would be of great help.
Help for which book referred for study of UPSC