What British colonialism did to India | India Now | ABC News

Summary

The video script discusses the contentious legacy of British colonial rule in India, challenging the notion that the British were benign colonizers. It highlights the significant increase in extreme poverty, a drop in life expectancy to 22 years, and the occurrence of famines during the British rule between 1880 and 1940, which led to an estimated 50 to 100 million excess deaths. The script also implicates Winston Churchill in the 1943 Bengal famine, detailing his scorched earth policy and the redirection of food supplies away from the region. Churchill's alleged lack of empathy for the Indian population and his focus on preserving the British Empire rather than the welfare of colonial subjects is criticized. The narrative includes personal accounts of the famine's impact, with the speaker's parents experiencing the dire consequences in Calcutta. The script further accuses the British of manipulating historical records to omit the darker aspects of their colonial past, such as famine and exploitation, instead focusing on their contributions to infrastructure and legal systems.

Takeaways

• 📜 The British colonial rule in India has been historically viewed as less destructive compared to other colonial powers, but recent historical analyses challenge this notion.
• 📊 There were an estimated 50 to 100 million excess deaths in India during the British colonial period from 1880 to 1940.
• 💹 Economic historian Robert C. Allen's analysis indicates that extreme poverty in India more than doubled under British rule, with real wages falling and famines increasing.
• 📉 Life expectancy in India is said to have dropped to an alarming 22 years during this period.
• 🌾 Winston Churchill, while a symbol of resistance against the Nazis, has been accused of causing a devastating famine in Bengal in 1943 through policies that destroyed rice fields and redirected food supplies.
• 🚢 Churchill is also criticized for redirecting and halting ships carrying food to Bengal out of fear that the Japanese would seize them during World War II.
• 🐰 Controversial statements attributed to Churchill, including a comparison of Indians to breeding rabbits, suggest a lack of empathy for the Indian population.
• 📝 Journalist Madhusree Mukherjee's book 'Churchill's Secret War' alleges that Churchill viewed the Indian army as useless and was more focused on preserving the British Empire than the welfare of colonial subjects.
• 🥶 The Bengal famine of 1943 is believed to have resulted in over 3 million deaths, with an average daily ration of about 400 calories, comparable to that of prisoners in concentration camps.
• 👵 Personal accounts from survivors of the famine, such as the speaker's parents, recount the traumatic experiences of widespread starvation, begging, and death.
• 🌍 The East India Company and British Raj are also implicated in causing millions of unnecessary deaths due to mismanagement during other El Nino-related droughts.
• ✍️ Despite the end of British colonial rule 75 years ago, the British narrative of their colonial legacy has often omitted the aspects of hunger, famine, and exploitation, possibly due to their control over historical archives.

Q & A

What is the general perception of British colonial rule in comparison to other colonial powers?

The British are often seen as better colonizers compared to other powers like the Belgians, particularly in the context of the Congo.

What is the estimated number of excess deaths in India during the British colonial period between 1880 and 1940?

There were at least 50 million excess deaths, with some estimates suggesting it could be as high as 100 million.

How did British rule impact poverty levels in India?

Economic historian Robert C Allen suggests that extreme poverty in India more than doubled under British rule, with real wages falling and famines increasing in frequency and severity.

What was the reported life expectancy in India during the British colonial period?

Some scholars report that life expectancy dropped to 22 years during this period.

What policy did Winston Churchill implement during World War II that had a significant impact on the Bengal region in India?

Churchill implemented a scorched earth policy, destroying significant rice fields to deny Japanese invaders food supplies.

How did Churchill's actions during World War II contribute to the Bengal famine of 1943?

Churchill redirected and stopped ships carrying produce to the Bengal Delta out of fear that the Japanese would take over the ships, which contributed to the high death rate during the famine.

What was Churchill's reported attitude towards the Indian army and the relief efforts during the Bengal famine?

Churchill thought the Indian army was useless and was not in favor of sending relief, as he reportedly said that Indians 'breed like rabbits'.

What evidence is there to suggest that the British were more focused on the empire than the welfare of colonial subjects?

The war cabinet papers show that the average daily ration during the Bengal famine was about 400 calories, the same as that of prisoners in the Buchenwald concentration camp, indicating a lack of focus on the welfare of the Indian population.

How many people are estimated to have died as a result of the Bengal famine of 1943?

It is estimated that more than 3 million people died as a result of the famine.

What long-term impact did the Bengal famine have on the narrator's parents?

The narrator's parents experienced trauma from the famine that stayed with them until their deaths, remembering the skeletal people begging for water and the uncremated dead bodies lying in the streets.

How has the British colonial rule been portrayed in history, and what aspects have been downplayed or omitted?

The British colonial rule has been portrayed positively, focusing on contributions like education, trains, and legal regimes, while downplaying or omitting the negative aspects such as hunger, famine, and the industrialization of poverty.

What role has the control of archives and historical narratives played in shaping the perception of British colonial rule in India?

The control of archives and the way the British have written the story of colonialism has allowed them to shape the narrative, focusing on positive aspects and downplaying the negative consequences of their rule.