The Colonial Factor and Indian Society

The purpose of this small study is to explain how the social and political identity of India, which gained its independence with the anti-colonial movement, was affected by the colonial system ....

Abstract

This paper will investigate in which way India having gained its independence through an ant colonial struggle has been shaped through colonial patterns in the development of its own political identity. It will be analyzed in which way India within the terminology of third world and colonialism as been influenced by the Turkish reform movement, furthermore if it is appropriate to evaluate those developments as revolution. In conclusion this paper portrays Indian society as the outcome of a synthesis between traditional values ​​and its own conception of colonialism.

1. Social Change Brought By India and Colonialism

The colonial rule of the British "East India Company" began with the seizure of the state revenues of the Bengal region after 1764 from the Mongul State , which dates back to the founder of the Mughal Mughal Shah and was ruled by a Turkish ruling family. In India, which was first indirectly ruled by the Kumpanya, slowly British domination was established with the support of the British government. The "India Civil Service" was established, which undertook the administrative task of India as a whole, as well as the emirates that were independent from each other, whose supreme authorities were completely occupied by the British.

Under the command of the British administrative agency, a bureaucratic organization was formed, with lower levels mostly Indians, and thus the colonial administration created a new local "middle official class" that owed its existence to Britain alongside the noble mahajir families trying to protect their rights. However, western educationSome qualified people who came out of that class who were educated in line with the principles of this group would later adopt the ideas of the independence movement. The famous "Sepoy Uprising" of 1857 against British rule was mostly supported by the traditional elites and would result in India being directly linked to the British Empire. Legally, Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India in 1876 and would be represented by the Viceroy of India.

The main spark of the Indian independence movement was to be thrown not by the traditional conservative anti-British groups, but by a new generation ready to accept western ideas. Making the English language the official administrative language in India and the opening of British educational institutions were the proponents of this development. It should be added that the social and intellectual change established by these educated groups was neither a new beginning nor a revolution in terms of social continuity. British educated , even the best educated in the UKThese individuals, who would benefit from their institutions, would later have administrative positions or positions (journalists, lawyers, etc.) that would deeply affect the society. But not to be underestimated some of them belonged to the well-established families of India, whose history goes back hundreds of years, noble and sometimes very wealthy, and they had not yet discarded their traditions and cultures.

The root of social and social changes must be sought mainly in movements against colonial policy. However, it is not possible to say that British colonialism had a negative reaction from all elements in the Indian subcontinent. For some Indian intellectuals, the defeat against the West was an indication that their culture was not meeting the needs of the age. For this reason, they began to adopt the English culture and social lifestyle in parallel with their own customs and traditions. Essentially, many Indian nationalist leaders also embraced British culture as a requirement of modern life. However, when they saw that the top positions in the colonial administration remained closed to them, they began to criticize the British administrative system.

Britain's India policy, while having many features of classical colonialism, was based on the extensive cooperation of local elites. This was also the case for the other colonies of England, but it was more noticeable in India, because many emirates of India were directly ruled by local rulers, not only visually but actually. Of course, they all had a British commissioner or 'adviser' with them, and the aforementioned states had no foreign political or military freedom, but for their local elite, British rule was undoubtedly profitable financially.

The reason why Britain so much favored local rulers was not only in political and economic interests, but also when the British accepted India as a world civilization. Due to the cooperation of Hindu or Muslim individuals belonging to the upper groups of the social strata in India, not only nationalist feelings but also reactions against the stereotyped, traditional Indian culture and lifestyle began to rise.

Moreover, in many freedom movements of the Third World, the concept of nationalism coming from the West emerged as a political factor thanks to its relations with the colonialist state and especially education policy. However, it should not be forgotten that the social structure in India is very different from Europe . In general, Indian society could be distinguished as traditional country-urban dwellers.

The British succeeded in forming an upper group of traditional land gentry in the provinces, capable of basing their own sovereignty. The financial power of the provincial gentry diminished over time because the classical economic growth strategies were incompatible with the regional structure, and as a result, when the members of the liberal British education could not find what they expected, they turned their reaction against the British government in nationalist movements. The middle-level farmers, on the other hand, became impoverished thanks to the 'private property system (raiytwari) created by the British in order to increase the living standards of the farmers and to increase their productivity. There are similarities with the Land Code enacted in the Ottoman Empire in 1858. Enforcement of the law, not the law itself, put small farmers in a difficult position.

Under the terms of both traditional and Administrative modern western India, Great Britain's domination of the top management it may seem as a society to reconcile their working style. Actually in India, the legal system was based on the Colonial Law, which was inspired by the British Common Law, the style of administration led by British colonial officials and local rulers who served under the control of a western supreme rule, the Vice-Roy of India appointed from England. Under its control, an administration serving British interests was established.

The British, who taught the liberal western style of governance to the Indian elite but also acknowledged the existence of Indian culture, created an "image of India" in their own right. Considering India as the “pearl” of the British Empire, the British interpreted the social realities according to their ideals and unintentionally changed the Indian society. Because Indians discovered the modern concept of nation thanks to the British.

Western-style modern education both Indians and their culture, which has received foreign training when I consider as critical, evaluating the

West's image in India try to rediscover able to revive their real selves. Circles that sought to distinguish themselves from traditional circles from the outdated Hindu religion and lifestyle, from the rigid caste system, seeking social changes, and seeking the cause of backwardness in stereotyped Hindu religious culture contributed to Indian nationalist thought.

When the Hindu religious factor disappeared into Indian national thought, Muslims, who constituted a significant portion of the Indian population (about 150 million out of 600 million Indians in the early 20th century), fell into a separate position. Although India has a common cultural background with different languages ​​and tribes, attempts to incorporate Indian nationalism as an identity element of the Hindu religion constituted an unacceptable situation for Muslims. The Indian Muslims, who first tried to consolidate their position within the joint independence movement, were also affected by the Pan-Islamist factor and finally adopted the idea of ​​"establishing Pakistan as the Muslim Motherland", which was the father of the famous poet Mohammed Ali Iqbal under the legendary leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah

2. Caste System Factor and Social Statics

The main problem was the imposition of western standards on the socially and economically different Indian culture. Europe 'in undeveloped or during the colonial regions in Europe due to the insertion of settlers li (South Africa , Australia, etc.) has changed dramatically trouble functioning market economy and economic way of life in India. It should be added that before the British rule due to the caste system, the situation of the "immunities", who lived with the lowest standard of living, had not changed much. Although a very small population benefited from the health and education institutions established by the colonists, the economic balances in general turned upside down for the majority of the population.

The caste system was criticized by some Indians as the result of British anti-caste propaganda during colonial times. One reason why the Indian national movement gave importance to this was undoubtedly in its pursuit of legitimacy for its actions. It is noteworthy that in this regard, anti-Indian caste circles are under the influence of Western ideas and especially Christian religious philosophy. Although the Indian anti-caste movement pursued local goals, it was again inspired by foreign thinking. It can be said that the tradition of social perception in modern India is a synthesis with colonial culture. While the western concept of social justice existed on the one hand, on the other hand, an original high culture with a history of thousands of years began to redefine itself. The problem lay in the caste system.

It was quite logical that the British should not touch the caste system too much. Britain in principle took care not to interfere with local lifestyles as far as possible, provided that it would not contradict its own laws or 'civilized values'. Since the caste system is not only an economic entity, such as the feudal system, it has a religious background and has a certain character of holiness and acceptance. Hence, it seemed acceptable for different segments of society to live in misery. This situation is still severely slowing social developments in India. But the caste system was still an important turning point for Indian reformers in reshaping their selves.