Question

explain the strategies used by eic (East India company) to expand themselves

Answer 1

Answer:

England wanted to achieve these objectives through colonialism in India, as merchants became an influ­ential social class of England. Thus, by the 17th century, the countries of Europe came under the impact of a set of economic ideas and practices called mercan­tilism.

Mercantilism presupposes the volume of world trade as more or less fixed, precious metals silver and gold form the desirable national wealth, balance of trade should be the norm and for that purpose should impose high tariffs on imports.

Orientalism

Orientalism is a concept that stresses the uniqueness of the culture and civili­zation of the Orient. Orientalists are also called Ideologists. Orientalists, who were conservative by nature pleaded for providing a framework of security without interference in the working of the religious-social institutions and cultural tradi­tions. They argued that peace would promote the trade and it would be to Britain’s advantage.

This view of the Orientalists was supported by the right-wing Tories and they also opposed missionary activity of any sort in India. This serious study of the past of India became inevitable as the British expansion authorities decided that it was essential for officers of the British East India Company to be proficient about Indian culture and civilization to rule them properly.

Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement of England of the 18th century. This movement in contrast to the Orthodox Church emphasized on personal experiences, individual reading of gospel rather than the traditions of the established church. While some Christian missionaries attempted to reform the ‘degenerate Indian society’ quietly, the evangelists were openly hostile to ‘Indian barbarism’ and desired to ‘civilize India’.

The influential members of the Evangelicalism were Wilberforce, the confidant of Pitt, Charles Grant, a chairman of the directors and his son who was a cabinet minister. They advocated bringing Christian West to the East and “India will reform herself as a flower to the Sun”. Charles Grant propagated the policy of assimilation of India into the great civilizing mission of Britain. This attitude coincides with the liberalism advocated by Macaulay.