Question

How did the East India Company make Bengal their trading hub?

Answer 1

The first years of EIC rule were notorious for their corruption and profiteering – the so-called ‘shaking of the pagoda tree’ or ‘rape of Bengal’. Individual nabobs (as EIC employers were derisively dubbed) amassed massive personal fortunes, often at the expense of their Indian subjects. Yet the late 18th century also saw the development of what would become the basis of the EIC state in India, as traders sought to become administrators and develop systems of rule compatible with both their Georgian ideas of political economy and the specific circumstances in India.

Answer 2

Eighteenth century India was constantly in a state of metamorphosis. History highbrows would name it a juncture of change and continuity. On one side, there was decentralisation of power, with the rise of regional kingdoms and downfall of the mighty Mughal empire. On the other hand, a new foundation of the British empire in India was being laid, with the colonisation of India by the English East India Company (EIC). Amidst all the chaos, the EIC developed a stronghold in the sub-continent by eliminating other European competition and entering into conflicts with local rulers.