Date: 06/10/2015
The case for India
Here is a reaction from a reader about the book , The case for India , by Will Durant, an American author who did monumental research of India's ancient past as well as exploitation by Mohammedan and British invaders. His book written in 1931 was banned by British India.
Dec 25, 2012Rsraob rated it 5 of 5 starsOn reading this, I just realized as an Indian how ignorant I and all my generation has been. No history book prescribed by our school system covered the depth of plunder of India, distinguishing the plunder by the British and the plunder by previous conquerors. The reading itself is easy. The major point here is the author does not try to make his own calculations but tries to repeat what some conscious British have already published or printed.
flag3 likes · Like · see review
Actually Mr. Rsraob need not feel alone in being ignorant , at least he realized it. Still in the year 2015 there are many Indians just based on their presumptions based on false assumptions ascribe great virtues to British rule .
It wont hurt to get hold of this book The Case for India by Will Durant which is available on Amazon and study it before making asinine assertions about British saving Hindus from Mohammedans or some how they improved India's ship building industry.
Decolonization actually boosted slave mentality which does not permit appreciation of their own heritage, instead making them to find non-existent virtues in invaders, much like in hostages suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Add to this as foreign powers withdrew from the colonies, people were enslaved by their own countrymen the problem not only persists but get exaggerated.
Here is a brief review summary of Will Durant's well documented work of 1930.
Book Revew: The Case For India - Will Durant - 1930
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XLtyvL6dbWI/TzAUW3kcUUI/AAAAAAAAAKY/FGSQ8pL1x7I/s1600/download+(1).jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vwENsSOOIPQ/TzAUXhNR4zI/AAAAAAAAAKc/CY_C2c17ULQ/s1600/download.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Durant
None has covered the brutal destruction that charactarised colonial rule in vivid detail than in the book - The Case For India written by a famed American Historian, Will Durant who was also author of a magnum opus , Story of Civilization . Every Indian should read this,especially the first volume, Our oriental Heritage, before agreeing with India's enemies that India was junglee before Mohammedans came or it was they along with British built a nation out of India.
Will Durant on destruction of India by British.
"This was not the destruction of a minor civilization produced by an inferior people. It ranks with the highest civilizations of history, and some would place it at the head and summit of all - like Keyserling.... when the british cannons attacked.... the hindus surrendered at once lest one of the most beautiful creations of mankind be destroyed. Who, then, were the civilized people? (The Hindus or The English?) The British conquest of India was the destruction of a high civilization by a trading company utterly without scruple or principal, overrunning with fire, sword, bribery, murder a country temporarily disordered and helpless"
"India was a far greater industrial and manufacturing nation than any in Europe or Asia, producing textile, Metal works, Jewelry, Precious Stones, Pottery, Architecture. She had great merchants, businessmen, ship building - nearly every kind of manufacture known to the civilized world was already in India"
The book describes in graphic detail the atrocities of the so-called "civilized" Britishers (refer definition below!!!!!) in the chapter "The rape of a continent". The difference is that he has quoted numbers and figures; unassailable facts and laws that graphically illustrate the systematic destruction of all kinds of local enterprise. For example, produce was taxed at 50%; the documented fact that tax rates rates were the highest in India across the world; Sample this:
"The fundamental principle of the british has been to make the whole indian nation subservient... they have been taxed to the utmost limit; the indians have been denied every honor, dignity or office".... F J Shore testifying to the house of commons in 1857
"Under their dependence on the british - Oudh and Karnatic, 2 of the noblest provinces in India, were plunged into a state of wretchedness with which no part of the Earth has anything to compare" - Lt Col Brigs, 1830
"The Governments' assessment does not even leave enough food for the cultivator to feed his family" - Sir William Hunter, 1875
"The Rajahs had taxed the people much less severely than the British.... "
"The national debt of India rose from $35,000,000 in 1792 to $3,500,000,000 in 1929. These figures tell the tale"
The book is littered with such graphic details - all taken from western, and primarily british sources. It examines how the economic fabric of the country was destroyed, how for example its textile trade was wrecked; its impact on the prosperity of the nation. It also examines the specious claims of education improvement - there were more schools in India before the advent of the civilized british; how the number of schools diminished and were discouraged; It looks at the now-famous example of the british gift of railways - in the USA, railways were used largely for goods transport, whereas in India their function was for the imperial class travels; It examines how every activity of the british - right down to the bullets used to suppress revolts were exacted from Indians; It looks at the wages paid to Indians; It details tariffs of 80% on Indian products as opposed to zero tariffs on british imports;"The result was that Manchester and Paisley flourished and Indian industries declined. India was transformed into a purely agricultural country, and her mineral wealth was not explored; artisans etc were forced to live off the land; no competition was to be allowed to English industries- Kohn". The book looks at the balance of trade, which was heavily against India and gives numbers - hard core numbers of the draining of wealth from what was one of the richest and most civilized regions of Earth. It looks at how local schools were destoyed by the British; it looks at British salaries and how the wealth from India went to England through salaries and pensions - quoting hard core numbers.
.................................
I love my country, but I do not love my countrymen- said Lord Byron.
We do not have to love corrupt, inept, self hating self alienated fellow countrymen of India , instead should make attempts for reform starting with Indian school texts, driving away ignorance that starts in schools.
Better late than never. Fortunately Government of India is making and bringing salutary changes in this area since May 2014.
====================
000000000