British interests British interests in India before in India before

the Rajthe Raj

British East India British East India CompanyCompany

Private trading company with the Private trading company with the endorsement of the British governmentendorsement of the British government

Arrived in India in the 17Arrived in India in the 17thth Century Century Primary goal was to secure trade Primary goal was to secure trade

monopoliesmonopolies Gradually gained territory through battle Gradually gained territory through battle

and diplomacyand diplomacy As time went on, it began to function As time went on, it began to function

more as a nation than a trading companymore as a nation than a trading company

What did they want from What did they want from India?India?

Financial gainsFinancial gains To ‘civilise’ the ‘savages’To ‘civilise’ the ‘savages’ To spread ChristianityTo spread Christianity

Financial gainsFinancial gains

BEIC wanted trade monopolies on BEIC wanted trade monopolies on cotton, silk, indigo dye, stone salt, tea, cotton, silk, indigo dye, stone salt, tea, and later opium which was illegally and later opium which was illegally smuggled into Chinasmuggled into China

Set up factories in India for the Set up factories in India for the manufacture of goods (with permission manufacture of goods (with permission of local rulers)of local rulers)

Leaders of BEIC won power and wealth Leaders of BEIC won power and wealth by using their armed forces to assist by using their armed forces to assist certain Indian leaderscertain Indian leaders

‘‘Civilising’ the ‘savages’Civilising’ the ‘savages’

Desire to provide the people of India Desire to provide the people of India with a stable, liberal, incorrupt with a stable, liberal, incorrupt system of governmentsystem of government

Desire to ‘civilise’ people to Desire to ‘civilise’ people to European standardsEuropean standards

Is this humanitarianism or Is this humanitarianism or justification?justification?

Spreading ChristianitySpreading Christianity

During this period Europeans were During this period Europeans were typically avid churchgoerstypically avid churchgoers

Missionaries sought to convert as many Missionaries sought to convert as many people to Christianity as possiblepeople to Christianity as possible

I am now prepared to reply to the Committee in the words ofthe Prophet, ‘Here am I, send me.’ The work is most arduous,but is of God, and must prosper; many sacrifices painful to‘flesh and blood’ must be made but not any correspondent tothe glory of winning souls for Christ. I feel myself almost transported with joy, everything else appears to fall out of viewas vain and insignificant.(Alexander Duff, 1828)