How did the British Capture India? [Book Review]
The British did not capture India. The East India Company, which was perhaps the world’s first private MNC with shareholder capital, did. The British Government took control over the East India Company’s possessions (Indian peninsula) much later.
How did a private company, which was not even given proper audience at the Mughal court of Humayun who favoured the more prosperous Dutch and the French even for trading, take administrative control of India?
That’s what’s been discussed at length in the book – ‘The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire’ by William Dalrymple.
Here are a few highlights of what’s covered in this book,
- How did Robert Clive transform the (until then) East India Company that was only involved in trading, into a military imperialist power?
- How tact and luck both favored the British in their initial wars where they were outnumbered at least by 1:10 by the enemy forces?
- How the anarchy resulting from the disintegration of the Mughal Empire paved the way for the English to capture and rule (the then) rich provinces of East & West Bengal, Bihar, and Patna?
- How the continuous invasions of Delhi by Afghans reduced the Mughal Dynasty into puppets — in the hands of the British?
- How the powerful confederacy of the three strong regional powers of India – the Mysore Kingdom, Marathas & Hyderabad, led by Hyder Ali of Mysore almost drove the British out of one of their first settlements – Madras?
- How the untimely death of Hyder Ali led to the ultimate capture of Mysore Kingdom in spite of the heroic acts of Tippu Sultan?
- How the lessons learned by Charles Cornwallis from the defeat of English forces in the American War of Independence would enable him to hold a tighter grip on the Indian states under their control?
- How the infighting between the prospective successors of the powerful Maratha Kingdom enabled the British to play one against another and ultimately topple the formidable, largest, and the last Indian resistance?
- How even the French, who had a powerful presence in India before the British arrived, and even up until the beginning of the 19th Century when they were actively aiding the Indian opponents of the British Empire, failed to stop the British?
The book, in spite of being non-fiction, is a page-turner — thanks to the storytelling abilities of the author. I listened to the Audiobook version which ran for 16 hours. In spite of the length, I finished it within a week.
Now I have a good idea about how the British captured India.
They took advantage of the anarchy resulting from the disintegration of the Mughal Empire and created their own anarchy where the focus of the profit-oriented share-holder corporation was to send all the wealth in one direction.
Here are the links to the book on Amazon India, Amazon US.
Destination Infinity
Very interesting and informative blog post. Till I finish my high school I lived in Trichy. Robert Clive lived in Trichy in 1752 (I think). His mansion was converted into a hostel for the students of St.Joseph College. It is named Clive’s Hostel.
That’s interesting information about Robert Clive’s mansion in Trichy. I have gone to a heritage walk into the Fort @ Chennai where the current secretariat and other Govt. Dept. offices are housed. There too they showed me an old bungalow which was supposed to be Robert Clive’s residence/office.
There seems to be a lot of interesting insights the book provides.
British rule is always a point of great debate. Many feel they just exploited us. That is true. But foundations of much of what we have now is also because of them, I guess.
Ya, they needed to create some order in order to loot continuously 😉
Destination Infinity
Sounds to be an interesting and must read book to know more about history and facts behind the different ruling of India.
It tells us the different incidents that led to British ruling India.
Destination Infinity