Question

What was the price indians had to pay for the increased stability of British rule?

Answer 1

The price Indians had to pay for the increased stability of British rule included economic burdens from forced cultivation of cash crops, higher taxes, and infrastructural projects benefiting the British more than the locals, along with societal tensions from the British indirect rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

The increased stability of British rule in India came at a considerable cost to the Indian people. The British imposition of policies centered on strengthening their own economic interests resulted in several direct and indirect economic burdens for Indians. Among these were forcing Indian farmers to grow cash crops such as cotton and tea instead of food crops, which served British factories and households. High excise taxes on Indian textiles made English fabrics more economical for Indians, undermining local industries. Furthermore, the British officials extracted high taxes to pay for their soldiers and officials, as well as infrastructure projects like railroads and telegraph lines, primarily benefiting the colonizers.

In addition to economic impacts, the system of indirect rule maintained by the British East India Company coerced Indian elites into supporting British policies, ensuring a steady flow of taxes and soldiers. Resistance to British rule did emerge, with many communities divided between cooperation and rebellion, and within the resistance, between violent and peaceful methods. Altogether, the British policies during their rule led to significant exploitation and socioeconomic strain within Indian society, fostering an environment of tension and resistance where the colonized paid dearly for the so-called stability provided by the colonizers.

Answer 2

When the British installed themselves in a peaceful and stable rule in India just a few rich profited, most Indians did not have jobs because the British took them. British policies led to the transformation of India’s economy into a colonial economy whose structure was determined by the needs of the British economy, because of that British destroyed Artisans and Craftsmen, they needed to compete with cheaper imported machine-made goods from Britain. The one-way free trade policy in India invaded the country with British manufacturers and Indians industries were destroyed.

It also led to famines - like the Great Famine of 1876-1878 that caused the death of 10.3 million people - and to epidemics - like the cholera pandemic in 1820 that killed 15 million people.