DID GREAT BRITAIN UNIFY INDIA?

map of IndiaIndia is a large, roughly triangular peninsula which extends off of Asia into the Indian Ocean. The northern base of the triangle contains some of the world's largest mountains, and almost 2000 miles south of these mountains, the tip of the peninsula extends through the tropical zone almost to the equator. India also stretches nearly 2000 miles from the east to the west. The total land mass includes over one million square miles.
India had been unified in the past, but for various reasons at the beginning of the 17th century they were experiencing a period of division. This period of division allowed Great Britain to take control of India and eventually help India become more unified.
The English made many external changes that led to the Indian people's desire and ability to become their own unified country. Although unification may never have happened without the influence of the British, it was the Indians themselves that eventually achieved their unity. The British could not completely unify India. This idea can be illustrated by examining some individual cultural areas such as language and technology.
Trade was Britain's doorway into India. "India's trade with Europe, both by land and sea, was a constant fact of history from ancient times" (Mansingh, 34). Originally, English interests in India were merely economical. On Dec. 31, 1600, Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to the Governor and Company of merchants of London trading with the East Indies, and the English East India Trading Company established trading centers in India. Political control came gradually as residential governors began to establish the foundations of English justice, a fixed land revenue, and the first English mint in India (Benton, 143).
When security of the trade began to suffer because of hostility from neighbors and other rival European countries, Britain was forced to form a military presence in India. "In these circumstances, the European trading posts began to serve not only as collecting and transporting points for goods but also as fortified places of refuge for foreigners and Indians alike" (Mansingh, 35). Factories in many cities began applying laws to disputes within their boundaries. "They grew in size and population. Armed servants of the company were usually protectors of trade at the time, and the company armies equipped themselves well. Their assistance came to be requested by rival contenders of the time" (Mansingh, 35). Through penetration by trade and through these spheres of influence, and then protectorate-like alliances, the company soon became the recognized political power in India.
Britain's expansion can be attributed to more than military power. Expansion was enabled economicaly because certain Indian groups' motivations matched those of the English and they welcomed their presence. Without the aid of these groups, British rule would not have been possible (Mansingh, 37). Another decisive factor in British expansion was English assimilation to the Indian culture: "English factors or agents of the East India Company that had been formed in London, became familiar with Indian customs and languages, including Persian, the official language of the Mughal Empire. They adapted to Indian clothes and lifestyles. The knowledge of the country so gained and the cooperative tie they enjoyed with various groups of Indian traders gave them a competitive edge over other Europeans" (Mansingh, 34-35).
Major changes occurred politically in the 19th century. Indian uprisings in 1857 brought an end to Company rule. Although this "mutiny" was quickly extinguished, Great Britain stepped in and the crown took direct control of India, remaining in power until 1947 when they withdrew and India became an independent and unified country.
British influence had an effect on India's caste system, bringing more equality and a different sort of unity to the country. With the help of Mohamdas Gandhi the system has become more equal and less strict. Although the caste system did break up into many different castes, the develpments of the social system did aid the unification of India.
Religion being one of the most central aspects of Indian culture, Britain could not rule the country without dealing effectively with its religions. They did not unify India religiously, but had they not accepted the existing religions, the political unity which they were able to achieve would not have been possible.
Though probably not intentionally Great Britain played a major role in the unification of India from the time of the company's formation of trade, through their growth as a major political power, until the time that Britain, and then eventually India attained direct control.


Cricket

Perhaps one of the longest lasting influences which Britain had on India was cricket! Today in India cricket is still the most popular sport, bringing out the enthusiasm of millions of Indians. In the 1996 Cricket World Cup, India lost only to Sri Lanka, whereas the sport’s founder, England, was quickly left in the dust.
Young monks learning cricket (Source: National Geographic Magazine)



Works Cited

Benton, W. "India" and "Pakistan." Encyclopedia Britanica. 1972.

Berry, Thomas. Religions of India: Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism.

New York: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1971.

"Caste" and "Mahatma Ghandi." Microsoft Encarta ‘96 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, 1993-95.

Esler, Anthony. The Human Venture: A World History from Prehistory to the Present.

New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1996.

Griffiths, Sir Percival. Modern India. New York: Frederick A Praeger, 1962.

Karan, P.P. and Myron Weiner. "India" The World Book Encyclopedia. 1985.

Lamb, Beatrice. India: A World in Transition. New York: Praeger, 1970.

Mansingh, Surjit. India: A Country Study. Washington D.C.: Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data, 1985.

Marshal, P. British Empire: Cambridge Illustrated History. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Park, Richard L., and Irene Tinker, eds. Leadership and Political Institutions in India.

New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1959.

Warshaw, Steven. India Emerges. Berkeley, CA: Diablo Press, Inc., 1989.


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Authors: Medina Bogard, Leslie Gilbert, Mike Jones, Brooke Nida, Allison Swanson, Scott Young
Last Modified: May 1, 1997.
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