New Ideas in India During the Nineteenth Century: A Study of Social, Political, and Religious DevelopmentsMorrison, John
Religion
New Ideas in India During the Nineteenth Century: A Study of Social, Political, and Religious Developments
Morrison, John
Christianity and other religions; India -- Civilization; India -- Religion
Thus, almost inevitably, an anti-British bias has been generated, one of
the noteworthy and regrettable changes in the Indian mind within the
last half-century. Probably many would declare that the unifying
national consciousness of which I have spoken is nothing more than a
racial anti-British bias. At all events, hear an independent Indian
witness regarding the bias.[41] "There is a strong and strange ferment
working in certain ranks of Indian society.... Instead of looking upon
the English rulers as their real benefactors, they are beginning to view
their actions suspiciously, seizing every opportunity of criticising and
censuring their rulers.... The race feeling between rulers and ruled,
instead of diminishing, has increased with the increase, and spread with
the spread, of literary education. That all this is more or less true at
present cannot be denied by an impartial political observer." An
up-to-date illustration of the bias appears in the address of the
Chairman of the National Congress of 1906. "The educated classes," he
says, "... now see clearly that the [British] bureaucracy is growing
frankly selfish and openly opposed to their political aspirations."
While regretting that feeling and the prejudice that often mingles with
it, let those interested in India at least understand the feeling. It is
the natural outcome of the new national consciousness. Even educated
natives are in general too ignorant of India, past and present, to
appreciate the debt of India to Britain, and how great a share of the
administration of India they themselves--the educated Indians--actually
enjoy. For every subordinate executive position in the vast imperial
organisation is held by a native of India, and "almost the entire
original jurisdiction of Civil Justice has passed out of the hands of
Europeans into those of Indians."[42] But the anti-British bias, let us
on our part understand. The attitude of educated Indians to the British
Government of India, and to Anglo-Indians as a body, is that of a
political opposition, ignorant of many pertinent facts, divided from the
party in power by racial and religious differences, and with no visible
prospect of succeeding to office. The National Congress is the permanent
Opposition in India. A permanent Opposition cannot but be biassed, and
its press will seize at everything that will justify the feeling of
hostility.
[Sidenote: Illustrations of the bias: Famines.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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