Mentor’s Comment:

The question is very basic, simple and straight forward and a fair knowledge of British accession of India will help in developing good points in this topic. However, the answer must contain the following context.

Mention how major Indian power got subjugated by the British added by Indian kings expansionist policy, lack of unity, rivalry among kings etc. Unity was also absent in Masses, they were also divided.

Indian political system’s lacking in administration which was further made vulnerable by industrialization in Europe. Etc…etc…

Conclude with your own view based on the content provided in main body.

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• In the first hundred years of British dominance over India (1757-1857), all the major powers were successively subjugated by the British. The failure of the numerically superior Indian forces against the much smaller English forces needs proper explanation.

Main Body:

• First of all, there was absence of unity among the Indian powers. All of which had already emerged as the autonomous state. Each one aspired to become larger and more powerful and constantly quarreled with its neighbours.
• The English on the other hand despite serious differences amongst themselves were more united in purpose and ideology. Further they all have the benefit of modern nationalism and better political unity compared to the Indians.
• Secondly, the above lack of unity among the Indian states was accompanied by lack of unity within the people of these states. The British infact succeeded mainly because they were able to exploit these internal weaknesses in the form of group rivalries and conflicting interests.
• In is in this background that the British could evolve and implement their famous policy of divide and rule by supporting one group against other or one cast against another cast or one linguistic group against another.
• Thirdly, the Indian powers also failed to device a stable and efficient political system to retain the loyalty of its subjects. In other words, the Indian state suffered from various administrative and managerial weaknesses.
• The European on the other hand had already developed much better political and administrative systems.
• All the above mentioned weaknesses of Indian powers got further accentuated or worsened in the course of the late 18^th and early 19^th The English on the other hand went on gaining in all aspects.
• By the early 19^th century the English gained clear superiority in military technology due to the ongoing industrial revolution. However, by this time most of the Indian powers were already subjugated.

Conclusion:

• Thus, the consolidation of the English notion in all aspects due to the industrial revolution made the English victory inevitable. The Indian powers on the other hand continued to be played with internal weaknesses and mutual rivalries.
• The process of British conquest was thus facilitated by a variety of factors and forces which were not that clear in the mid-18^th