Write a critical note on the British East India Company.
___ is a notable literary work by ___. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of ___.
Answer
Narrate briefly about the abuses and corruptions inflicted upon the Indians by the East India Company.
Or, Write a critical note on the British East India Company.
Or, What picture of the East India Company do you get from Burke’s “Speech on the East India Bill?”
Edmund Burke’s (1729-1797) “Speech on the East India Bill” gives a dark picture of the East India Company. The Company came to India to do trade. But later, it became greedy and cruel. It ruled India like a master, not a guest. Burke saw this evil rule and raised his voice. He showed how the Company used power to make money. He also showed how it broke the laws and hurt the people. His speech was bold, honest, and full of facts.
Power without Control: The Company got its right to trade from Parliament. But it used that right to rule over India. Burke says Parliament gave them power, not total control. The Company used this power for greed, not for good. Burke says,
“We sold, I admit, all that we had to sell; that is, our authority, not our control. We had not a right to make a market of our duties.”
He wants Parliament to act. If it does not stop them, people will think Britain sold Indian lives for gold.
Selling and Reselling: Burke says the Company sold Indian rulers like things in a market. They sold the Great Mogul’s lands to his own minister. They sold the Rohilla nation for no reason. Burke says,
“There is not a single prince, state, or potentate, great or small, in India, with whom they have come into contact, whom they have not sold: I say sold, …”
The Company also sold Mir Jafar to Mir Kasim, and then back again. They sold his sons and even his wife. They sold the Maratha ruler Ragobah, and then gave him to his enemies. These acts brought ruin to India.
Greed and Cruelty: The Company was full of greed. Its leaders wanted only money. They did not care who suffered. They punished honest men like Rajah Nundcomar for speaking the truth. They ruled with fear. They took land, broke homes, and hurt the weak. Their rule did not bring peace. It brought pain. Burke showed that they had no plan to help India. They only thought of profit. This greed turned a rich land into a sad, poor one.
Breach of Trust: The Company broke its word many times. They took money from rulers and gave no help. They broke treaties with the Mogul, Hyder Ali, and the Marathas. They punished people who trusted them. The Begums of Oude were old women. The Company called them rebels to take their gold. Rulers like the Rani of Rajeshahi and the Rani of Burdwan were also betrayed. Burke says,
“But the Company wanted money, and the old women must be guilty of a plot. They were accused of rebellion, and they were convicted of wealth.”
A Business Mindset: Burke says the Company acted like traders, not rulers. They ruled India like a market. They bought and sold kings. They punished the honest. They made fake charges to take money. Their aim was not good rule. It was self-gain. They wanted wealth, not peace. Hastings, their leader, used fear and tricks to stay in power. Anyone who stood against him was ruined. The Company’s rule became a dark chapter in India’s history.
In short, Burke’s speech shows that the East India Company was not a friend to India. It was a greedy ruler. It sold kings, broke promises, and crushed the poor. It used lies and tricks to take gold and land. It hurt both India and Britain’s names. Burke spoke with facts, not hate. His words still remind us that power must be honest and fair. The people of India became victims of a cruel and false rule.