What in your opinion were the positive steps taken by the British to modernise India?
Some positive steps were taken by the British to modernise India but these were not with the noble intention of enlightening the Indians or for their advancement, these modernisation attempts were more often an accidental result of some British Colonial interest. They brought changes and improvement in the following areas
Education System :
The introduction by the British of Modern and Western learning brought a radical shift in the education system in India.
- It rationalized thinking patterns, and to a large extent, the living style of Indians.
- The rational and scientific knowledge took precedence over traditional knowledge.
- It led to the emergence of liberal and democratic ideas and also cultivated the nationalists.
Thought the goal of British education was to prepare babus and clerks for the East India Company, Indians did go to out learn the narrow pedagogic syllabus and see the reality beyond.
Transport and Communication :
The introduction of railways improved means of communication differently. It not only helped in the transport of men and material, ensuring a speedy exchange of goods and services, but also a rapid dissemination of knowledge and ideas.
Constitutional and Legal Reforms:
The establishment of Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Penal Code brought uniformity in the legal system of India. It was based on the principle of equality before the law. Now, everyone was equal in the eyes of the law, irrespective of caste, religion, or class.
Economic Reforms :
- British Government brought changes in the traditional Indian pattern of commodity production and exchange.
- It shifted towards mechanized production; from subsistence level to the commercial level.
- The Indian market which was closed, was now open for foreign investments. Dalhousie invited foreign capital in the layout of the Indian Railways.
- Though some of the measures had a harmful impact on the Indian economy, but still, the Indian market was re-structured on the Modern European pattern.