The British Power is Shaken
After the Sepoy rebellion in India, Britain was loss for words of what to do. Having only established the East India Trading company and suffering from rebellion the British need to quickly reestablish their authority in the region. As a result, "The 1858 Government of India Act swept away the Company's authority and brought Britain, as the theoretical master of India into a direct reality. The governor-general was given the title of viceroy, but carried on with past duties uninterrupted. A Secretary of State for India, with fifteen advisors, was established in London for the British Government to sharpen its control over the region." (Zachary Nunn).
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How did the world wars pave the road to the end of the British Empire?
World War One
"Even though it [India] comes out on top in World War I, it’s at a pretty severe cost to the strength of the empire. It also proves to most Indians that no matter how loyal they are to the British crown, Britain is not going to take Indian demands for independence seriously. It does a bunch of things both to the infrastructure of the British empire–in terms of weakening it in certain places–but it also reinforces for many Indians what the cost will be for India if Britain continues its global imperial project." |
World War Two
In World War II, there are massive famines that happen all over the country, not because there’s lack of agricultural production, but because food is literally taken from India and sent to English...Indian soldiers are returning from the war now with some military experience and confidence that they should be entitled to the same benefits that British soldiers are getting when they come back from the war. When that doesn’t happen, it really does strengthen the demands for Indian independence. |
The British Stance
During the 1920s and 1930s British attitudes towards India began to shift... At the same time, India stopped being as important to Britain's economy as it had been in the past. There was also the fact that Britain gave self-rule to the Irish Free State in 1921 and this made it even harder to deny self-rule to India...Throughout the 1920s and 1930s Britain introduced a range of measures that gave more and more independence to India. The number of Indians who were eligible to vote was increased. Indians began to serve on the Council of the Viceroy and also got jobs as ministers in the government. By 1929 Indians were playing an important role in running their country. In 1935 the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act. India was divided into self-ruling territories, which were to be a united federation... |
The British themselves sowed the seeds for discontent amongst the Indians with their mistreatment. With the growing nationalism in India, the British had no choice but compile with the wishes of the nationalist movement if the wanted to avoid a full blown nation rebellion.