1.What were the factors that enabled the British to consolidate their power and position in the Indian subcontinent?
Answers
Explanation:
The forces and factors for the success of the British in India are discussed below:
Superior Arms and Military strategy
The British had modern muskets and cannon were well equipped with a speed of firing and range which were better than Indian arms. For that matter, many Indian rulers imported European arms and employed European as military officers, but they never think about military strategy which was made them mere imitators.
Doctrine of Lapse: Meaning, Objective & its Impact
Loyalty, Military discipline and regular salary
The British were very particular about regular salary and a strict regime of discipline which ensure that officers and the soldiers were loyal. On the other hand, Indian rulers did not have sufficient funds to pay salaries on a regular basis. Some of the rulers were dependent on personal retinues or a rabble of mercenary elements that were not disciplined and loyal.
Procedure for the Selection of officers
The British select their officers and soldiers on the basis of reliability and skills not on the basis of heredity, caste and clan. They were very strict on the subject of discipline and objectives of their campaign. On the other hand, Indian rulers select their administrator and military officers on the basis of caste and personal relations that sometimes disregarding the merit and ability.
Subsidiary Alliance: Meaning, Objective and its Impact
Quality of leadership
Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Elphinstone, Munro etc. shows their high quality of leadership. The British had also advantage of second line of leadership such as Sir Eyre Coote, Lord Lake, Arthur Wellesley etc. who fight for the cause and glory of their countrymen. Although, Indian side had also brilliant leadership like Haider Ali, Tipu Sultan, Madhu Rao, Sindhia, Jaswant Rao Holkar but lacked by second line of leadership. It is noteworthy that Indian rulers were not united and their enmities were immensely used by British to each other’s.
Strong Financial Backup
The British had enough funds to pay its shareholders with good dividends that compel them to finance the English wars in India. Moreover, the British trade added enormous wealth to England that makes their government to help them indirectly or directly through money, material and money.
Lack of National Pride and unity
The Indian rulers were not well-versed in a materialistic vision of diplomacy whereas British believe in material advancement. Indian rulers were lacking by unified political nationalism, which was masterly used by British to engage them into fight among themselves.
Hence, we can say, the political faction and lack of unity among the Indian rulers forced the British to aspire from trader to ruler. The British officers started acquiring territory just to promote and protect their trade interest, but political hostility in India compels them to establish an empire
Answer:
Since then, the British East India Company adopted a threefold strategy of ideological, military and colonial administrative apparatus to expand and relations of unequal nature consolidate the British Indian Empire. In this process, we witness a transformation of trading connections into colonial relations of unequal nature.