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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Made my blood boil going over the tragedies inflicted upon the indigenous people in the name of free market.
For all the wealth exported from India, the Britain should have fared better isn’t it? Makes me wonder why!
For all the wealth exported from India, the Britain should have fared better isn’t it? Makes me wonder why!
An eye opening book. I found the background information on pre-colony India very interesting. I am a fan of Bernard Cornwall’s books, and his first few of the Sharpe series hint at some of the plundering that are more thoroughly detailed here. The author gives no ground on the British occupation. In this zeal, he does paint a slightly idyllic state of pre-colonial India. The author does an excellent job of detailing the British ability to sow divisions where needed, and argues that without the British, India would have become a nation by itself.
An essential read for every human being on the planet.
(I might update this review with further thoughts once I feel less lazy.)
(I might update this review with further thoughts once I feel less lazy.)
Read this book if you're a child, young adult, middle aged, senior citizen or even an octogenarian!! This book has to be ideally induced right at schooling no matter what syllabus across our nation. Like the WhatsApp memes says...read this book if you're a true Indian hehe!!
The topic is little researched and hence of great interest. I actually wanted to like this book a lot more than I did though. First it's laid out as a series of debates or speeches vs. A traditional history. This is not clearly covered any where in the book description and should really be mentioned. This layout leads to the point that if you're looking for a history you won't get that here...you'll get well researched and compelling arguments but not the full understanding a proper history would deliver. If your knowledge of the Raj and Indian history is not good you will often find yourself lost at sea. Lastly while most of the arguments are compelling and convincing I do believe the Pak-India conflict and it's roots cannot be wholy traced to the Raj and Tharoor is at his weakest here. Otherwise a fascinating book and I really hope it inspires a proper historian to write a true full history of India and the Raj.
hea, vajalik ja tegelikult ka huvitav raamat, aga kirjutatud nii, et mul oli läbilugemisega suuri raskusi. tundub, et sellest tekstist arusaamine nõuab, et oleksid oma (ajaloo)hariduse saanud kas Suurbritannias vi Indias. mul lendasid kõrgelt üle pea kõik isiku- ja kohanimed, aga ka mõisted (ühel hetkel lihtsalt googeldasin, et misasi siis ikkagi oli Raj. selgub, et see termin tähistabki "briti võimu Indias", pärineb hindikeelsest sõnast, mis tähendab valitsust). lihtsalt taust on puudu ja selles raamatus seletama ei vaevuta, sukeldutakse kohe pea ees küsimusse, et mida siis briti koloniaalvõim Indiale ikkagi tähendas.
kiire vastus: ei midagi head. kuna raamat on üles ehitatud mingile aastatetagusele debatile Oxfordi ülikoolis, siis formaat suures osas ongi impeeriumi apologeetide argumentidele vastuvaidlemine. no et: "te ütlete, et britid ehitasid Indiasse raudtee ja et see oli indialaste jaoks hea; ma väidan, et paljud riigid maailmas on suutnud endale raudteed ehitada ilma koloniseerimise valu ja kulu läbimata." fair point!
minu jaoks oli siin palju uut ja huvitavat ja see impeeriumivärk, mida ma ennegi kuigi glamuurseks ei pidanud, muutus muidugi veel vastumeelsemaks lisafaktide teadasaamisel. kuidas britid oma tööstusrevolutsiooni toetamiseks süstemaatiliselt India majanduse maha lammutasid, kuidas nad kastisüsteemi põlistasid ja hindude-moslemite vahele kiilu lõid ("jaga ja valitse", eksole), kuidas nägi välja demokraatia importimine ja milline uskumatu rassist oli Churchill. kõige üllatavam vist oligi see, kuidas igasugused viktoriaanlikud praktikad kestsid sügavalt II maailmasõjani välja. ja kestaks siiamaani, kui pärast sõda poleks selgunud, et asumaid pidada on jube kallis ja et enam ei jaksa.
autor teeb möönduse, et häid asju, millest India oleks brittide sekkumiseta võinud ilma jääda, siiski on - tee ja kriket. ja no inglise keelt peab ta ka üsna praktiliseks asjaks, mida osata, aga siinkohal võiks mina talle öelda, et seegi on omandatav ilma koloniseerimist läbimata :) (aga jah, jällegi see oli mulle uus lugu, et Indias enne üldse teed ei kasvatatud ega tarbitud, aga britid leidsid, et Hiinast on kallis osta, ja hakkasid sobivas kliimas ise kasvatama ja parematki, misjärel õppisid ka indialased seda jooma).
ühesõnaga, kuigi kogu selle kolooniavärgi ajatelg on mulle endiselt veidi udune, oli lugu õpetlik. mul on päris kahju, et ma mingid osad nii diagonaalis olin sunnitud lugema, aga vahepeal ma tõesti tundsin, et olen üle pea sees. see teepeatükk oli küll hea lihtne ja arusaadav samas :) nii et kes umbes teab, mis seal Indias muidu juhtunud on viimased sajad aastad, siis see võiks olla küll hea raamat lisaks lugeda.
kiire vastus: ei midagi head. kuna raamat on üles ehitatud mingile aastatetagusele debatile Oxfordi ülikoolis, siis formaat suures osas ongi impeeriumi apologeetide argumentidele vastuvaidlemine. no et: "te ütlete, et britid ehitasid Indiasse raudtee ja et see oli indialaste jaoks hea; ma väidan, et paljud riigid maailmas on suutnud endale raudteed ehitada ilma koloniseerimise valu ja kulu läbimata." fair point!
minu jaoks oli siin palju uut ja huvitavat ja see impeeriumivärk, mida ma ennegi kuigi glamuurseks ei pidanud, muutus muidugi veel vastumeelsemaks lisafaktide teadasaamisel. kuidas britid oma tööstusrevolutsiooni toetamiseks süstemaatiliselt India majanduse maha lammutasid, kuidas nad kastisüsteemi põlistasid ja hindude-moslemite vahele kiilu lõid ("jaga ja valitse", eksole), kuidas nägi välja demokraatia importimine ja milline uskumatu rassist oli Churchill. kõige üllatavam vist oligi see, kuidas igasugused viktoriaanlikud praktikad kestsid sügavalt II maailmasõjani välja. ja kestaks siiamaani, kui pärast sõda poleks selgunud, et asumaid pidada on jube kallis ja et enam ei jaksa.
autor teeb möönduse, et häid asju, millest India oleks brittide sekkumiseta võinud ilma jääda, siiski on - tee ja kriket. ja no inglise keelt peab ta ka üsna praktiliseks asjaks, mida osata, aga siinkohal võiks mina talle öelda, et seegi on omandatav ilma koloniseerimist läbimata :) (aga jah, jällegi see oli mulle uus lugu, et Indias enne üldse teed ei kasvatatud ega tarbitud, aga britid leidsid, et Hiinast on kallis osta, ja hakkasid sobivas kliimas ise kasvatama ja parematki, misjärel õppisid ka indialased seda jooma).
ühesõnaga, kuigi kogu selle kolooniavärgi ajatelg on mulle endiselt veidi udune, oli lugu õpetlik. mul on päris kahju, et ma mingid osad nii diagonaalis olin sunnitud lugema, aga vahepeal ma tõesti tundsin, et olen üle pea sees. see teepeatükk oli küll hea lihtne ja arusaadav samas :) nii et kes umbes teab, mis seal Indias muidu juhtunud on viimased sajad aastad, siis see võiks olla küll hea raamat lisaks lugeda.
"bUt tHeY bUiLt tHe rAiLwAyS..."
This book should be required reading for people in Britain, India, and all the empire apologists/monarchists so that we don't forget the outrageous levels of abuse and looting meted out on the people of India during the rule of the empire in India.
It describes (with cold hard metrics) the destruction of well-established industries like shipping/shipbuilding, textiles, agriculture, and metallurgy that were thriving in the various princely states that made up India before the British arrived by the East India Company and the Empire once they arrived and took over these states either through forceful acquisition or through deals with the rulers.
There also are the famines that ravaged various Indian states which could easily have been solved by diverting grain exports to Britain back to the people but for the greed of the various British officials. There are also innumerable demonic laws and killings (ex: Jallianwallah Bagh) for which they have never assumed responsibility.
All of the supposed benefits of the empire such as the railways, the English language, Industry, and "democracy" that Britain is supposed to have given the country were initially set up to benefit the British themselves and they left them in the country when they were forced to exit the country after performing one last edition of the "divide and rule" strategy to divide Hindus and Muslims which led to the partition of the country.
It's very obvious but this book shows how India has now grown mostly because of the strong culture of its past and despite the British rule and not because of it.
This book should be required reading for people in Britain, India, and all the empire apologists/monarchists so that we don't forget the outrageous levels of abuse and looting meted out on the people of India during the rule of the empire in India.
It describes (with cold hard metrics) the destruction of well-established industries like shipping/shipbuilding, textiles, agriculture, and metallurgy that were thriving in the various princely states that made up India before the British arrived by the East India Company and the Empire once they arrived and took over these states either through forceful acquisition or through deals with the rulers.
There also are the famines that ravaged various Indian states which could easily have been solved by diverting grain exports to Britain back to the people but for the greed of the various British officials. There are also innumerable demonic laws and killings (ex: Jallianwallah Bagh) for which they have never assumed responsibility.
All of the supposed benefits of the empire such as the railways, the English language, Industry, and "democracy" that Britain is supposed to have given the country were initially set up to benefit the British themselves and they left them in the country when they were forced to exit the country after performing one last edition of the "divide and rule" strategy to divide Hindus and Muslims which led to the partition of the country.
It's very obvious but this book shows how India has now grown mostly because of the strong culture of its past and despite the British rule and not because of it.
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced