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The British Empire's Perspective on Colonization

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The British Empire's Perspective on Colonization

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In the video, the narrator describes the perspective of Britain on colonizing India.

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What happened during the British colonization of India?

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What happened during the British colonization of India?

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Around 1.6 million Indians migrated as a result of British rule, often traveling, living and working in conditions that were not much better than that of the African slaves.

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1. India was brought into the economic loop with Britain by developing India's existing economic systems.
2. Unfair treatment of Indians was common in India where British natives were seen in higher managerial jobs in comparison to Indians. This shows how Britain wanted economic dominance over India.

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India and Britain made a civil contract where workers were drawn up for five years. Early on, Indians were treated as inhumanely as the African slaves. They were confined to their homes and paid the a small sum of 1 shilling per day. They usually were unaware of what the real plan was and if they knew, they'd change their minds. "They were hustled on ships, unprepared for the long four-month journey."

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Indian Migration to Britain in the 19th Century 

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Indian Migration to Britain in the 19th Century 

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During the 19th century, the East India Company brought thousands of Indian lascars (a sailor or militia man), scholars and workers (who were largely Bengali and/or Muslim) to Britain largely to work on ships and in ports.
Due to the majority of early Asian immigrants being lascar seamen, the earliest Indian communities were found in port towns.
(the image below shows lascar seamen)

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The British needed more workers because of the labor shortages caused by the war and many of them needed to work on railroads and in the textile industry. They had a lot of the Indians come at the same time, so was a significant increase in Indian population in the UK.

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The Indians didn’t have much of a choice, they were almost tricked into moving to Britain for five years and then they would get wrapped up in the working environment and couldn’t leave. They were also hired to be used as crew workers on boats.

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By the mid-19th century, there were more than 40,000 Indian seamen, diplomats, scholars, soldiers, officials, tourists, businessmen and students in Britain, the majority of them being seamen working on ships.
Most Indians during this period would visit or reside in Britain temporarily, returning to India after months or several years, bringing back knowledge about Britain in the process.

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Most Indians could usually find work in Britain even if it was dangerous and terribles, like railroad work, they would still be willing to do it because they knew they would get paid something (even if it wasn’t much). The British took advantage of the Indians and found out they could cheaply employ them, especially during a famine.

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Even though they were somewhat forced to go to Britain, it did get better for them. In 1838 a special magistrate, Charles Anderson, wrote to the Colonial Secretary saying that “with few exceptions the Indians were treated with great and unjust severity, by overwork and by personal chastisement”.

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"The decaying remain of immigrants were frequently discovered in cane fields...if laborers did not work, they were not paid or fed: They simply starved." So, the Indians were already laboring, and then they were being treated inhumanely on top of that.

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Every migration flow generates a return or counter-migration. Indian commoners migrated to Britain, and British soldiers and generals migrated to India.

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Although the majority of Indians migrated from India to Britain, many migrated from city to city to follow under a prince/kings orders and rules.

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The migrants from India (were kind of forced), but some did make the decision to go to Britain. Britain is a very large country and the Indians decided to move there, because it's such a big economy, so they had more chance for work.

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Urban people (people of higher authority) were less likely to migrate from India to Britain. They had money, wealth, and comfort provided to them so there was nothing a new place could provide for them.

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Most migrations happened slowly over time and in steps. For example, a family from an isolated farm migrates first to a nearby village, then to a regional town, then to major city, and finally abroad.