The Effects of British Imperialism in IndiaYou could approach this topic from two points of view; the English and the Indians. You could choose one of the two parties and find very different opinions. When the British colonizers first arrived in India, they slowly gained more and more control over the country in many ways, the most important of which was trade. Initially they ran the Indian government by pulling the strings behind the scenes. However, they soon acquired complete dominion over India, turning it into a true British colony. The English considered Indian civilization inferior and adopted their Western ways overriding ancient Indian customs. However, it cannot be denied that British imperialism in India led to both positive and negative reforms in the political, economic and social aspects of its new colony. To begin with, it can be observed that the British colonizers actually improved Indian civilization by developing means of communication and transportation. They built a large number of bridges, over 40,000 miles of railroads, and paved a staggering 70,000 miles of roads (Doc. 4). They established schools, newspapers, and telegraphs for the people of the colonies. All the benefits of civilization that they could not create for themselves (Doc. 1). Additionally, the English cultivated 30 million acres with large-scale irrigation works, initiated industrialization, improved sanitation, and ensured an overall higher standard of living (Doc. 4). With many new factories and institutions to staff, job opportunities opened up left and right for Indian workers. Their contribution to Indian civilization meant that famine completely disappeared throughout India. Without the British, it is very likely that India would not be able to reach... the middle of the card... anyway. How can what Britain did be considered good for India? He can't. At least, not if India's value lies in its people. The English, however, brought peace to a nation that was collapsing in on itself. And it provided India with “proper” education and standards. Communications, transportation, industrialization, sanitation improved, and slavery, conflicts in internal relations and unacceptable practices ceased. So Britain's rule could also be considered the best thing that happened to India. If India's value were instead measured by Western standards, considering India before British rule versus after. Everything has its price, all that can really be verified is that the impact of British imperialism on India was both positive and negative. It just depends on which side you choose to view it from, the colonizers or the colony. Works Cited DBQ 17: Imperialism in India: An Evaluation