POST COLONIALISM IN

SUBCONTINENT
Colonialism
• Colonialism was presented as "the extension of Civilization",
which ideologically justified the self-ascribed superiority (racial
and cultural) of the European Western World over the non-
Western world.

• This concept was espoused by Joseph-Ernest Renan in La

Réforme intellectuelle et morale (1871), whereby imperial
stewardship was thought to effect the intellectual and moral
reformation of the colored peoples of the lesser cultures of the
world.

• That such a divinely established, natural harmony among the

human races of the world would be possible, because everyone
—colonizer and colonized has an assigned cultural identity, a
social place, and an economic role within an imperial colony.
 British Rule of Subcontinent
• Or the British Raj (meaning "rule“ in Hindi) was British rule in the
Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947.

• The term can also refer to the period of dominion.

•
• The region under British control—commonly called India—included
areas directly administered by the United Kingdom as well as the
princely states ruled by individual rulers under the paramount of the
British Crown.

• The region was less commonly also called British India or the Indian
Empire.

• The Empire of India was officially created by the Tory Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli for Queen Victoria in 1876, so that she wouldn't feel
upstaged by the Emperors of Germany and of Russia.
•
• The British rule started in India through the East India Company.
 East India Company (EIC)
• was an English joint-stock company, formed to
pursue trade with the East Indies, but which ended
up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and
Qing China.

• English traders frequently engaged in hostilities

with their Dutch and Portuguese counterparts in
the Indian Ocean.

• The company achieved a major victory over the

Portuguese in the Battle of Swally in 1612.
Cont.
• The company decided to explore the feasibility of
gaining a territorial foothold in mainland India, with
official sanction of both countries, and requested that
the Crown launch a diplomatic mission.

• In 1612, James I instructed Sir Thomas Rae to visit the

Mughal Emperor Nuruddin Salim to arrange for a
commercial treaty that would give the company
exclusive rights to reside and build factories in Surat
and other areas.

• In return, the company offered to provide the Emperor

with goods and rarities from the European market.
 Colonization
• occurs whenever there is a large-scale migration of any
one or more groups of people to a colonial area.

• The migrants, who can also be called colonizers, keep

"strong links" with their previous country, and thus obtain
tremendous "privileges" over other people living in the
area being colonized.

• Of course, the prior country of such settlers were often big

Imperial powers.

• Even though large-scale migration is usually a component

of colonization, it is not a requirement; a strong enough
military force is sometimes sufficient.
 British Colonization; Reasons and
Purposes:
• In its first century and half, the EIC used a few hundred soldiers as
guards.

• The great expansion came after 1750, when it had 3000 regular troops.

• By 1763, it had 26,000; by 1778, it had 67,000. It recruited largely

Indian troops, and trained them along European lines.

• The company, fresh from a colossal victory, and with the backing of its
own private well-disciplined and experienced army, was able to assert
its interests in the Carnatic Region from its base at Madras and in
Bengal from Calcutta, without facing any further obstacles from other
colonial powers.

• The company continued to experience resistance from local rulers

during its expansion
Cont.
• The East India Company, which came first to India
for trade purposes later, expanded its clutches to
take over the vast land.

• The subcontinent consisted of fertile lands, mines

enriched with minerals like Diamond, Gold, Silver,
Coal, Marble and Gypsum being among the many
hundreds of others; its rich soil and vast variety of
spices were their main attractions.
Struggles against the British Expansions
• Started in the Mughal periods.

• At first the Muslims and Hindus (the followers of two Major

religions in subcontinent) fought side by side Pazhassi
Raja’s struggles, Veerapandiya Kattabomman
( eighteenth century), Paik Rebellion (1817), Vellore
sepoy mutiny and the war of Independence (1857) also
known as the Indian-Muslim mutiny being of historical
importance.

• The British gained the Hindu’s favor by granting them high

ranks and gifts resulting in their abandonment of the Muslims
and with that, the Muslim hold on Subcontinent ended and it
came under the direct control of the British Empire.
Aftermath of the Rebellion of 1857: Indian critiques, British
response

• Although the Great Uprising of 1857 had shaken the

British enterprise in India, it had not derailed it.

• After the rebellion, the British became more

circumspect. Much thought was devoted to the causes
of the rebellion, and from it three main lessons were
drawn.

• At a more practical level, it was felt that there needed

to be more communication and camaraderie between
the British and Indians—not just between British army
officers and their Indian staff but in civilian life as well
 Effects of Colonization on
women:
• During British colonialism in India, women were
subjected to large amounts of oppression and
injustice from their male counterparts.

• Essentially, females were as powerless as the

untouchables.

• They could not vote they could not own property,

they could not even be in charge of leading
society; their voice was unheard while men were
the priests, warriors, and laborers.
Cont.
• One common practice that women were forced into was sati. If a
man died, he would be cremated, and his wife would be burned
alive so as to be together eternally.

• Before British colonialism, the rights of women appeared to be more

liberal.

• They were capable of re-marrying, divorcing, owning land, and

having power.

• Hinduism, which was and still is the most prominent religion in India,
is based on millions of gods and goddesses.

• The female deities were just as respected as the male gods, and
men and women of the Hindu faith prayed to many of them because
of their power.
 The Struggle for
independence
• After the British acquired the rule of the subcontinent,
there were many events that finally lead to its freedom.

• The instigator being the division of people in 1870s–

1907 into Social reformers moderates vs. extremists.

• The follow-ups being Partition of Bengal, formation

of Muslim League, Minto-Morley reforms,
Lacknow pact and World War I afterwards in the
1920’s Non-Cooperation movement, the Khilafat
movement, Jinnah’s fourteen points and Simon
commission were important milestones.
• Round Table Conferences, Muslim League’s Lahore
Resolution, Quit India Movement and Cripps proposals
were preemptive of World War II.

• The British negotiated with the Muslims and the Hindu’s to

Grant them independence in exchange of their support in the
war.

• In 1945 the cold war ended and the British announced to give
up the Subcontinent until 1948.

• The leaders during this reign included Gandhi, Jinnah, Iqbal

(who was also a philosopher and poet) Liaqat Ali Khan, Vikar-
ul-Mulk, Motilal Nehru among others being of prominence.

• It can be duly noted that during British Colonialism there isn’t

mentioned a single female leader or public figure whatsoever
Post Colonialism in the Subcontinent:
• Post colonialism or postcolonial studies is an academic
discipline featuring methods of intellectual discourse that analyze,
explain, and respond to the cultural legacies of colonialism and
imperialism, to the human consequences of controlling a country
and establishing settlers for the economic exploitation of the
native people and their land.

• The area which now comprises of India, Pakistan and

Bangladesh was part of the subcontinent ruled by the British
Crown.

• The British gave up the subcontinent in 1947 when it was divided

into India, East Pakistan and West Pakistan.

• Thepost colonization in the subcontinent resulted in the

emergence of Postcolonial feminism.
THANK YOU