Introduction
The legacy of the colonial past is evident in many areas of the India’s life. Today in this country English is the official language, which gives Indians an advantage in the international labor market. The railway, built during colonization, is the largest employer within India. Evidence of the positive impact of the European conquest of the Indian subcontinent can be found if one assumes how India would have developed if it had never been ruled by the United Kingdom.
Main body
The film Gandhi shows the process of growth of self-awareness and unity of Indian society, which probably would not have begun without colonization. The oppressed condition of the indigenous population of India during the colonial era gave rise to protests and uprisings, which were brutally suppressed by the authorities (Attenborough, 182). The emergence of progressive intellectuals, political parties, and growing poverty contributed to the unification of the nation for the sake of fighting for their rights.
Before colonization, India was a feudal state in which a separate economy provided itself with the most necessary for existence. In chapter 10, it is noted that it was during the times of colonialism in India that the growth of industry took place (O’Neil, 2017). With the arrival of Europeans, factory textile, shoe and leather production with complex machines and mechanisms appeared. Thus, without the rule of the British Empire, India would most likely have noticeably lagged behind in economic development from other countries, since industrialization would have begun much deeper in the country.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the British did not just exploit India, thoughtlessly exporting wealth from it. Without the period of British rule, modern India would have a lower cultural level of the population and labor productivity.
Works Cited
Attenborough, R. (Director). (1982). Gandhi [Video file]. Web.
O’Neil, P. H. (2017). India. In K. J. Fields & D. Share (Eds.), Cases and Concepts in Comparative Politics: An Integrated Approach (pp. 271-310). NY, USA: W. W. Norton & Company.