Imperialism+in+Asia

Imperialism in Asia India

Causes
One of the main reasons the British East India Company started to trade in India was to obtain popular native goods such as cotton, spices, and later, opium. The Western policy of imperialism and colonization also greatly impacted the British imperialism of India. The British victory of the Battle of Plassey in Bengal (1757) led to the establishment of a foothold for the British East India Company in the eastern region of India. The British soon expanded from the Bengal and Bihar region to the rest of India by intervening in local power struggles to gain land and control.

Events
British influence and power grew inversely with the declining Mughal Empire. As the Mughal Empire was chipped away, the British under Robert Clive defeated the French in the Seven Years War (1756–1763), securing British rule in India and ousting French influence. Soon, the corrupt nabobs (administrators) of the British East India Company prompted the British Crown to control of the subcontinent from the British East India Company. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was also a determining factor of the British Crown’s formal annexation of India. Though a conglomeration of factors induced the Sepoy Mutiny, including cultural rift between the Indians and the British, one of the main factors of the rebellion ignited when the British issued new gunpowder cartridges widely believed to be coated in cow and pig grease, which angered both the Hindus and the Muslims, who considered cows and pigs sacred, respectively.

Outcomes
//General Map of Railways in India in 1909 //

One of the main outcomes of British imperialism in India was the fall of the Mughal dynasty, the previous unifier of the subcontinent. The British demand for Indian cotton products among others led to industrialization of the subcontinent, including India’s extensive railroad system that lasts to this day. As the foreign British imperialized India, a dramatic rise of Indian nationalism was induced, leading to Indian Independence on August 15, 1947, under the nonviolent tactics of Mahatma Gandhi.

Imperial Administration
//Political Divisions of British India //

Imperial administration of India was first undertaken by the British east India Company until 1858, when the British Crown took over until India’s Independence in 1947. To exhibit control, the British East India Company used sepoys, locally recruited troops, as well as intervening in local power struggles to gain footholds. The original capital of Imperial India was Calcutta from 1858-1912, and then at New Delhi from 1912-1947. Under the British Raj, the imperial government was a constitutional monarchy under a viceroyalty. The imperial lands were divided into three main regions, the Presidencies, administered through the cities of Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. In addition to regions ruled by the Presidencies of British India, the Princely States, nominally sovereign vassal states of British India, also ruled parts of the subcontinent, notably, Mysore, Hyderabad, and Kashmir.

Culture/Religion
Even when British influence and interference existed, Hinduism remained the major religion, with minorities in Islam and Buddhism, though the number of Christian converts did increase. One of India’s main weaknesses against imperial Britain was entrenched deep into the cultural society of the subcontinent; the native religions preferred the British over each other. This partiality inflicted a significant blow against the Indians. Even though the British were preferred over other native religions, racism between the British and the Indians was widespread.

Economy
Much of imperial India’s economy was dominated by the British East India Company. Many Indian products such as cotton, opium, indigo, and coffee were highly valued in Britain and the rest of Europe, driving the trade of these goods and the imperial economy of India. Still, even with imperialism and the industrialization that accompanied it, the Indian economy and population grew at a meager 1% every year between 1880 and 1920, exemplifying the impoverishment caused by the British.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Indochina & Sub

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Causes
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The commander of the navy in East Asia had been a supporter of French military action against Vietnam when Napoleon III raised interest in controlling more of the Asian market. France had weighed their options and Napoleon was convinced that an invasion of Vietnam would be a necessary course of action. In 1858 The Vietnamese city of Tourane was captured by the French. This was the beginning of the French campaign across Indochina.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Events
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The French successfully invaded and captured the Vietnamese city of Tourane in 1858 although Vietnamese resistance and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera caused the French to retreat in 1860. By 1884 the French and Vietnamese had fought many battles over territories. A Treaty of Protectorate had been signed in August of 1883, establishing a French protectorate over North and central Vietnam. The French had fought over the Vietnamese Territory with Chinain the Sino-French War and won and the Franco-Siamese War added Laos to the growing numbers of French ruled nations.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outcomes
The French had a substantial effect on Vietnam and its other territories' political and economic infrastructure, creating railways and greatly improving irrigation. In spite of these transformations the Vietnamese people suffered as they were used only as workers in the French owned fields. Vietnamese landowners were plunged into debt as their French rulers forced them to pay heavy taxes. In the long run the Vietnamese governmental system was weakened in the wake of the French administration.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Imperial Administration
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">France now ruled an area that encompassed current day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia under a western style administration. The French abandoned the Vietnamese system of bureaucracy and even disposed of Vietnamese officials, replacing them with government officials from France. Although in the 1930’s some political reforms were passed, Vietnamese officials were only given minor duties and held only a fraction of their former power.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Economy
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All economical gain created by the French rule served to only benefit the French. Peasants were sold as servants to work tasks such as agricultural jobs, especially in rice production which quadrupled in scale from 1880-1930. The French introduced many industrial technologies to their colonies such as railroads and advanced irrigation that increased production of materials. The situation of the native Vietnamese fell inversely to the large growth of the rice trade. The amount of rice going towards Vietnamese citizens themselves declined in the midst of the success of the market.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">East Indies

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Causes
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the time before the Industrial Revolution took place, communication between empires and their commanders was a very long and arduous task. Being as letters took a multitude of months to reach the commanders from the empires and to return with a reply, these men had much control over their situations. Because of this, they had the ability to take over entire areas before it was known that they had defied or ignored orders from their empire. Using this technique, the Dutch formed their empire in Java in 1619 on the northwest coast of Batavia. This turned out to be the beginning of an era of imperialization throughout the entire East Indies. The reasons that lie behind this were that the Dutch wanted to form a monopoly that presided over the spices gathered in the eastern part of the archipelago of Indonesia and the underlying motive of a profit.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Events
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Throughout this age of imperialism, many events that would end up changing the face of the East Indies took place. First came the establishment of the Dutch’s Asian operating point at Batavia in 1619. The Dutch soon became vassals of Sultan Agung who was the ruler of much of the interior of Java (kingdom of Mataram). Because of this, they would participate as allies of Mataram princes in order to gain more land from the princes through a coercive “gifting” system for helping with the battles. The Dutch, at first, were content to leave the systems of Java as they were, but, as time progressed, they eventually called for reformations to society, education, and for other transformations. Because of all of this, the Dutch ended up with control over the entire island of Java after Sultan Mangkubumi failed to regain power in a failed rebellion, thus transforming it into the center of an Asian empire that lasted for decades.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outcomes
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">^Up thar <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Dutch ended up with control over the the entire island of Java after Sultan Mangkubumi failed to regain power, thus transforming it into the center of an Asian empire that lasted for centuries

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Imperial Administration
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to ascertain total control over the Java islands, the Dutch would integrate their armies with the natives. These armies would consist primarily of native recruits from eastern commandeered islands that would be led by a Dutch commander. Among the advantage of native warriors, the organization, discipline, and firearms of these armies were generally superior to the native non-Dutch armies. This allowed the Dutch to remain victorious through the many battles they fought, which led to total control of the island nation.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Culture/Religion
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The hierarchy established in the Java islands did not change greatly. In fact, the new hierarchy was simply placed over the existing hierarchy, with the Europeans at the top of course. Following the European merchants and company officials were the aristocrats, followed themselves by ruling families that held power throughout the administration, except at the very top levels. Not just the hierarchies merged, the cultures of the Dutch and natives merged as well. The Dutch succeeded in bringing some of their culture over (architecture, for example) and adopted parts of the Asian culture (eating habits, clothes, etc). Eventually, even mixed marriages between the two races was generally accepted.

//<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A teenager in Java wearing traditional Javanese attire: blangkon headgear, batik sarong and kris as accessory. 1913. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Economy
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After the Dutch established their main bulkhead on the island, their main priority turned to land gain and profit. In order to glean profit, the Dutch created monopolies and allied themselves with the Mataram princes to attack northern coastal towns. This absolutely destroyed the trading classes on Java. Those that weren’t destroyed included the Chinese and Chinese-Javanese merchants that would frequently ally themselves with the Dutch. As battles were won, the Dutch would force the Mataram princes to give them land. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“ <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tea plantation in Java during <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Dutch colonial period__] <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. In/before 1926.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 32px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Works Cited


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stearns, Peter N. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. New York: Pearson Longman, 2003. Print.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"British Imperialism in India." Free Forum : ISS World History 10 Forum. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__http://issworldhistory.forumotion.net/t1529-british-imperialism-in-india>.__
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"East India Company (English Trading Company)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/176643/East-India-Company>.__
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">British Imperialism in India. PDF. < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:zDGUbXi6uMoJ:www.nasoa.com/School%2520Folder/World%2520History/Patterns%2520of%2520Interaction%2520%28ebook%29%2520%28website%29/Source/W5F27DAD.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjeuU_zJh9YHNr-6lwujqmMSMDythhhzhuhO9f39gxw4g8iGIm8u1rDy4THTkkFJOaxnOnhAl2fWn1mZ_oG1WsoJM-ZKGAL7amKZwaU4ZLqp47K4yiJ6ZVAs8dN4AmLpic11QjE&sig=AHIEtbTZNeC7wS7j30pqIZIBSO7uHpy1_A>.__
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Effects of French Colonial Rule." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/628349/Vietnam/52739/Effects-of-French-colonial-rule>.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">B. R. Tomlinson. The Economy of Modern India. 1860-1970. 1996. Print.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Effects of French Colonial Rule." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Encyclopedia Britannica Online //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/628349/Vietnam/52739/Effects-of-French-colonial-rule>.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Image Credits:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"British Raj." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Raj>.__
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Ubuntu; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Java." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Dec. 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java>
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"French Colonial Diaspora (1862-1954) | The Global Viet Diaspora." Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://blogs.bauer.uh.edu/vietDiaspora/blog/french-colonial-diaspora-1862-1954/>.