dDiscuss POLITICAL, CULTURALAND ECONOMIC WEAKNESS ON THE EVE OF THE BRITISH CONQUEST?

 Introduction:

 On the eve of the British conquest, Indian socio-cultural and political ethos was in a state of turmoil. A study of the socio-political scence are is must instructive. lt reveals some of the defects and weakness of Indian medieval social, economic and political structure which were responsible for the eventual defeat of the country by the English East lndia Company.

1 Political Weakness

Decaying Nobility One of the foremost political weakness before the comping of the British was position of nobility. The weakness of the King could have been successfully overcome and covered by an alert efficient and loyal nobility. The character of nobility had also deteoriated.

Lack of Nationalism- An important, political wakeness before the coming of British was absence of the spirit of political nationalism among the people. This was because lndia at the time lacked political nationalism among the people. This was because lndia at the time lacked the element which constitute a modern nation.

Political weakness in different States On the debris of the Mughal Empire and its political system arose a large number of independent and semi independent powers such as Bengat, Avadh, Hyderabad, Mysore and the Mavatha Kingdom. lt is there powers which challenged the British attempt at supremacy in lndia.

2 Economic weakenes

Agriclutre

The main weakness of lndian agriculture during 18th century was technically backward and sluggish. The technique of production had remained stationary for century. The peasant tried. to make up for technical backwardness by working very hard. He in fact, performed miracles of production; moreover, he did not usually, suffer from shortage of land. But, unfortunately, he seldom reaped the fruits of his labour.

Export and import 

Regular conflict and disturbance of law and order in many areas during the 18th century harmed the country’s trade to some extent and in some directions. Many trading centers were looted by the contestants for power and by foreign invaders. 

3 Cultural Weakness:

Culturally, lndia showed signs of degradation during the 19th Century. Cultural continuity with the preceding centuries was, of course, maintained .But at the same time .culture remained wholly traditionalist

  • The most rapid declire occurred precisety in those branches of art which depended on the patronage of Kings, Princes and nobles. This was reflected in the Mughar architecture and painting. Many of the painters of the Mughal school migrated to provincial courts ad flourished at Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kashmir and Patna. 
  • Poetry in every the lndian language lost its touch with life had became decorative, artificial, mechanical and traditional. lts pessimism is reflected the prevailing sene of despair and cynicism, while its content reflected the impoverishment of the spiritual life of its patrons, the real nobles and kings.
  • The scientific outlook was gradually pervading the western mind and revolutioning the philosophical, political and economic outlook of the Europeans and their institutions.
conclusion:
  • So before the advent of the British East lndia Company, lndian Political, Economic and Cultural condition was in State of Stagnaion. The Stagnation of lndia was broken and new forces of change emerged. This process grew out of a colonial contact inevitable brought with it intense misery and national dilapidation not to mention economic, political and cultural backwardness. But it was precisely these new forces of change which were to provide the vitality of modern lndia. 

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