Question

Suitable examples for any two policies followed by the British to extend their control over India

Answer 1

Britain was able to dominate the Indian sub-continent, that includes modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from the mid-eighteenth century. The British were able to effectively rule the sub-continent for almost two centuries, until 1947, with relatively little opposition and unrest. How was Britain, several thousand miles away and with a much smaller population come to dominate an entire sub-continent? The reason for this was as a direct result of a unique series of circumstances that allowed Britain to establish its authority over hundreds of millions of people. Among these factors were the decline of the Mughal Empire, a lack of unity among the local inhabitants, no real rivals, technological advantages and a clever policy of retaining local elites in power and gaining their cooperation.