British Raj: Difference between revisions
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{{#seo: | {{#seo: | ||
|title=British | |title=British East India Company – History, Trade & Colonial Rule | ||
|description=The British | |description=The British East India Company, founded in 1600, was a powerful English trading corporation that became a dominant colonial power in India from 1757 to 1858, shaping the course of South Asian history. | ||
|keywords=British Raj, British | |keywords=British East India Company, Honourable East India Company, EIC history, colonial India, British colonial rule, East Indies trade, first multinational corporation, Indian history, Company Raj, Bengal 1757 | ||
|image= | |image=https://knowlepedia.org/images/British-East-India-Company.jpg | ||
}} | |og:type=article | ||
|og:title=British East India Company – Trade, Power & Colonial India | |||
'''British Raj''' refers to the period of direct rule over India by the | |og:description=Learn about the British East India Company, the world’s first multinational corporation, its role in trade, military conquests, and colonial administration in India from 1757 to 1858. | ||
|og:image=https://knowlepedia.org/images/British-East-India-Company.jpg | |||
|twitter:card=summary_large_image | |||
}}'''British Raj''' refers to the period of direct rule over India by the British Crown from 1858 to 1947. This era began after the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] and the formal end of the [[East India Company]]'s rule. The Raj included modern-day [[India]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Bangladesh]], and played a major role in shaping the region’s politics, economy, and society. | |||
== Establishment == | == Establishment == | ||
Following the 1857 revolt, the | Following the 1857 revolt, the Government of India Act 1858 was enacted, transferring control from the [[East India Company]] to the British Crown. A Viceroy of India was appointed to govern, representing the monarch in London. | ||
== Administrative Structure == | == Administrative Structure == | ||
| Line 17: | Line 20: | ||
== Capital == | == Capital == | ||
Initially, the capital of British India was | Initially, the capital of British India was Calcutta. In 1911, it was shifted to [[New Delhi]], symbolizing a more centralized imperial control. | ||
== Economic Impact == | == Economic Impact == | ||
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* Turning it into a supplier of raw materials (cotton, jute, tea). | * Turning it into a supplier of raw materials (cotton, jute, tea). | ||
* Developing railways, telegraphs, canals, and western-style education. | * Developing railways, telegraphs, canals, and western-style education. | ||
* Imposing heavy taxation and causing recurrent famines due to exploitative policies. | * Imposing heavy taxation and causing recurrent famines due to exploitative policies. | ||
== Social and Cultural Impact == | == Social and Cultural Impact == | ||
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* [[Non-Cooperation Movement]] (1920) | * [[Non-Cooperation Movement]] (1920) | ||
* [[Civil Disobedience Movement]] (1930) | * [[Civil Disobedience Movement]] (1930) | ||
* [[Quit India Movement]] (1942) | * [[Quit India Movement]] (1942) | ||
== End of the Raj == | == End of the Raj == | ||
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* [[Indian Independence Movement]] | * [[Indian Independence Movement]] | ||
* [[East India Company]] | * [[East India Company]] | ||
* | * Partition of India | ||
* [[Indian National Congress]] | * [[Indian National Congress]] | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:British rule in India]] | |||
[[Category:1858 establishments in India]] | |||
[[Category:History of the British Empire]] | |||
Latest revision as of 10:01, 12 August 2025
British Raj refers to the period of direct rule over India by the British Crown from 1858 to 1947. This era began after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the formal end of the East India Company's rule. The Raj included modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, and played a major role in shaping the region’s politics, economy, and society.
Establishment
Following the 1857 revolt, the Government of India Act 1858 was enacted, transferring control from the East India Company to the British Crown. A Viceroy of India was appointed to govern, representing the monarch in London.
Administrative Structure
The British divided India into:
- Provinces of British India – ruled directly by British officials.
- Princely States – ruled by Indian princes under British suzerainty, with treaties ensuring loyalty.
Capital
Initially, the capital of British India was Calcutta. In 1911, it was shifted to New Delhi, symbolizing a more centralized imperial control.
Economic Impact
The Raj reshaped India’s economy by:
- Turning it into a supplier of raw materials (cotton, jute, tea).
- Developing railways, telegraphs, canals, and western-style education.
- Imposing heavy taxation and causing recurrent famines due to exploitative policies.
Social and Cultural Impact
British policies brought:
- English education and the rise of a western-educated Indian elite.
- Introduction of modern legal systems and civil services.
- Simultaneously, deepening racial discrimination and cultural alienation.
Freedom Movement
Over the years, dissatisfaction grew, giving rise to a nationwide independence movement led by leaders like:
Major events included:
- Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)
- Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)
- Quit India Movement (1942)
End of the Raj
The Indian Independence Act 1947 passed by the British Parliament ended the Raj, leading to the creation of:
- Dominion of India
- Dominion of Pakistan
This was accompanied by the traumatic Partition of India, causing mass migrations and violence.
Legacy
The British Raj left behind a mixed legacy:
- Institutional frameworks like the judiciary, civil services, and railways.
- The trauma of Partition and deep communal divisions.
- Continued economic and administrative systems adapted by modern India.
See Also
- Indian Rebellion of 1857
- Indian Independence Movement
- East India Company
- Partition of India
- Indian National Congress