How Much Did The British Really Influence India

[PrachandaChandikA]

Since I'm in a posting spee today I'll add my feelings being an Indian

India has been a place of visit for various races over many milleniums, the genetic diversity is said to be quite vast. However we suffered only 2 lasting invasions in known history. Ancient invations ~ there were a few, but culturally it enriched India and the invaders became absorbed in the native tradition, not to mention the variety of native traditions that India produced by itself. By itself India produced 2 of the biggest faiths Hinduism and Buddhism. Jinas were also plentiful, but their population have since decreased.

However things have been different with the muslim conquest~it was one of the bloodiest invasions of history. They still are the major disunifying factor in India and a major question on India's future progress and survival.

British Invation was after this. It didn't started as an invasion, but did become a conquest after sometime. Like moslems british didn't integrate~but they didn't stayed back as well.

I have mixed feelings about it~probably many has. From british angle I don't think there was anything proud about it. It was one pointed economic exploitation and they killed 6m people just by regular famines. India which was once richest and never had people dying of hunger lost in millions due to this british import~and we still have it. May be treatment wasn't so one sided as in Africa as british stay in India was ressult of inner fighting and eneimity of the indian rulers. Like in case of muslim invation, I think brits wouldn't have had a chance if India was united~anyway we never were since (forgot the name of the last major hindu ruler of india). Even the lone tipu sultan and decaying marathas proved a difficult proposition with indian help.

However on the bright side british did something good and did not do a few bad things which they could have done.
They did help to unite India to start with and there were examples of countless individual british men who felt deeply for the country and all british development were efforts of such men.
They could have tried to force christianity like the spaniards or the portuguise, but they left the misssonaries on their own. Look at the destruction of the native culture where other colonial powers also had a say.
Latin america ~ the seat of red indian civilization destroyed for ever.
Africe~only the lion hunting masai's are the indigenious tribes now a days ... LOL
North america was mainly limited tribal inidans and they fought more among themselves causing their annihilation. So we can't blame the british for a christian america.

In inidia the surge in conversions has started after the brits have left ... but going into apathy of present day india is out-of-scope here.

*sigh*