By 1857, conditions were ripe for a mass uprising in the form of the Great Revolt of 1857
National Movement: 1857-1917 (10)By 1857, conditions were ripe for a mass uprising in the form of the Great Revolt of 1857. In this context, explain the following:
- Any three Economic causes for the revolt of 1857.
- Any three Military causes.
- Any three Political causes of the revolt.
Answer
(a)
- Exploitation of economic resources
- Drain of wealth
- Decay of cottage industries and handicrafts
- Economic decline of peasantry
- Growing unemployment
- Inhuman treatment of indigo cultivators
- Poverty and famines Decline of landed aristocracy
- Heavy duties on Indian goods like silk and cotton
- British imports with no nominal duty
- Impoverishment of peasants/different revenue system
- India was reduced to an agricultural colony
- Annexation of rent-free lands and estates/Inam Commission
- Drain of wealth to England
- Spinning and weaving became extinct
- Loss of livelihood.
(b)
- Ill treatment of Indian soldiers/treated as servants/social distance between officers and Indian soldiers
- General service enlistment act
- Large proportion of Indians in the British army
- Bleak prospects of promotions
- Deprivation of allowances
- Faulty distribution of troops
- Poor performance of British troops.
- Lower salaries
- Introduction of Enfield Rifles
- Loss of prestige in Afghan War
- Disbanding of troops [Awadh]
(c)
- Policy of expansion
- Subsidiary Alliance
- By outright wars/Sind/Punjab/Buxar/Anglo Maratha/Anglo Mysore/Anglo Sikh
- By using the doctrine of lapse/Explanation of the policy/States affected like Satara/Jhansi
- On the pretext of alleged misrule [Awadh]
- Disrespect shown to Bahadur Shah
- Absentee sovereignty of the British/India was governed from foreign land.
- Treatment given to Nana Sahib and Rani Lakshmi Bai.
- Exam Year: 2020