Effects Of The Collapse Of The British Empire : Decolonization

It became evident that the British could maintain the empire only at enormous cost. At the end of the Second World War, they saw the writing on the wall, and initiated a number of constitutional moves to effect the transfer of power to the sovereign State of India. For the first and perhaps the only time in history, the power of a mighty global empire 'on which the sun never set', had been challenged and overcome by the moral might of a people armed only with ideals and courage.

In 1757, Great Britain extended its empire into India. This occupation would not fully end until 1947. In the time between, there were many movements by the Indian people to gain independence from the British. The movement that finally succeeded in winning India’s independence was led by one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Gandhi’s methods for fighting against the occupation of the British were very different from those of any of the freedom movements before. And that was why it worked. Gandhi did not agree with the general reasoning of the time: that conflicts could be solved through negotiation and forceful resistance.1 Rather, his faith led him to go

In 1939 World War II broke out in Europe. Britain proclaimed India’s involvement in the war without consulting the Indian people. This led to increased protest and volatility. In 1942 India established a national army and proposed the Quit India Movement. This movement promised to lend Indian military support to Britain in return for complete independence. If they refused this treaty the Indian people promised civil disobedience. In 1947 India was granted its independence and became self governing (Luscombe, 2012). On January 26, 1950 the Republic of India was proclaimed and it drafted a constitution. The first democratic elections were held in 1952. However the Hindus and Muslims were not united and colonial India was divided into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India (History, 2010).

British imperialism had a negative impact on the politics of India because of the establishment of the framework for India that leads to their downfall and the Indian Army which they used to control their own kind. According to Dr.Lalvani, the British established the framework for India’s justice system, civil services, loyal army, and the efficient loyal police. (Paragraph #6). While this is true, the framework didn’t include the Indians, because “Of 960 civil offices, 900 are occupied by English men and 60 by natives”(Doc. #2). British laws often benefited the British and were designed to limit the freedom of speech of the Indians, for example, the Rowlatt Act in 1919. (Gandhi). This evidence shows that the British, when creating the framework for the new and improved India wanted to benefit from it while trying to lower the Indian’s and limit the

The United States blamed the British for its abuses on its oceans and Native American resistance in the west. To begin with, the British and French were at war during the 1810s, or the Napoleonic Wars. The British began taking sailors from American ships and forcing them to serve their country, in a process called impressment, to infuriate the U.S. and because the British were in desperate need for more sailors to prepare their incoming massive fleet. The British supported Native Americans in their land resistance in the west. For example, the British provided ammunition and supplies to the Native Americans, led by Little Turtle, to defeat Washington’s American force. Again, the British supplied the Native Americans to crush General Arthur

Starting in 1754, the Seven Years’ war began and led up to a sequence of events involving the Parliament. The Parliament is the highest legislature in Great Britain and consisted of the House of Lords and House of Commons. The Parliament made three acts because of the Seven Years’ war, which affected the colonist greatly. The three acts made by the Parliament included the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and the Tea Act. The Parliament made the acts to resolve issues and to enforce more laws, however, some acts made the colonist very upset and led up to events of commotion. The colonist had mixed emotions towards the act because some were liked and others were not.

The British took over and surrounded over one quarter of the world’s population. India was one of those country that was taken over and it was considered the “Jewel in the Crown”. At first India and Britain were connected by the British East India Company for trading. Once India started getting weak and falling apart, Britain took advantage of this and took complete political, economic, and social control. Britain’s administration for India was useful, creating transportation all over the country, and sending Indians for better education.

Britain had a desire to have a more economic, political, and social influence over India. Even though the British never preserved a notable military existence in India, they were able to maintain political control. Many changes were made, which benefitted India, but there were also some changes, which contributed to its deterioration. Despite the negative impacts Britain left on India, imperialism is best understood as a strong country extending its authority, in order to increase its wealth, by bringing more of the world under its control, because Britain helped in the development of India from a nation-state, to a unified country, which is modernly the world’s largest democracy.

By the twentieth century, India started to break away from Britain when leaders, such as, Mohandas K. Gandhi, became actively involved in India’s decolonization process (Bentley 815). In addition, the decline of the British Empire and their imperial rule, after fighting WWII, contributed as well to India’s independence movement since British was unable to

Aroused by the massacre of Amritsar in 1919, Gandhi devoted his life to gaining India’s independence from Great Britain. As the dominant figure used his persuasive philosophy of non-violent confrontation, he inspired political activists with many persuasions throughout the world (Andrews 23). Not only was Mahatma Gandhi a great peacemaker, but also his work to achieve freedom and equality for all people was greatly acknowledged. Gandhi’s unconventional style of leadership gained him the love of a country and eventually enabled him to lead the independence movement in India.

The cultural ties to empire are not so easy to efface as the political ones. This is perhaps one of the most important lessons the world has learned from the mass movement towards independence on the part of European colonies in the past half-century. Even we Americans, more than two hundred years after having rejected the British monarchy and all it stands for, are forever poking our noses in the

It is clear to any that the global role held by Great Britain has changed drastically since the Empire’s pinnacle during the Victorian Era. The nation is no longer imperialistic in nature, to the point where it would be highly questionable to refer to model day Great Britain as an “empire”. At first it is easy to assume that because Great Britain has continually lost or let go of its colonies and dominions and no longer has the worlds most powerful armed forces that its global influence would be exceedingly reduced. Global influence of a nation however is much more complex than strict landmass and military power. With the modern global economy imperialism is not necessary to preserve powerful economic influence, which in a largely capitalistic

This essay will focus on the decolonisation of India by the British Empire and the problems they encountered. It will also aim to bring recognition to the struggle decolonisation brought upon the world after World War II. Pierce states that “after the War concluded, a worldwide process of decolonisation commenced in which Britain granted independence to all of its major colonies, beginning notably in India” (Pierce, 2009). India had struggled with uprisings and conflicts for the many years of British occupation but when Gandhi began sharing his social efforts; the perceptions of colonialism began to change leading to the collapse of the British colonial Empire. Gandhi began changing the lives of regular Indian’s with his popular visions, he also advocated for the people of India in a non-violent

Decolonization can be achieved by gaining independence, along with interaction of power also, it is a political process that causes violence in in a lot of circumstances and may sometimes be resolved by negotiating on peaceful terms. But can also lead to violent resistance and arm struggle by the native population. Eventually with World War coming to an end, it brought a revolution of decolonization in many countries. For many people, this was a positive thing as they were to obtain independence from colonies and empires. Decolonization was a long process to begin with, it took almost thirty years after World War II for some places. With colonial powers getting weaker, that was great chance for independence for Africa and Asia. Not only

After the battle of Palashi in 1757, the English set their colony throughout the indian sub-continent and they ruled 190 (1757-1947) years through great colonial impressions. In 1947 due to movement over all india and their own egarness to free india from their rule they gave the independence as two sovereign state named india and Pakistan where Pakistan had two parts- east Pakistan (todays Bangladesh ) and west Pakistan (todays Pakistan)