TRANSFORMATIONS IN SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES UNDER BRITISH RULE
1.Background: In the early years of their rule in India, the British East India Company focused primarily on trade and political control. They were less concerned with altering Indian society and culture.
2.Policy: This approach was characterized by a general policy of non-interference in religious, social, and cultural matters of Indian society.
1.Change in Approach: Around 1813, there was a noticeable shift in the British policy. This change was driven by new interests and ideas emerging in Britain.
2.Industrial Revolution Impact: The Industrial Revolution, starting in the mid-18th century, drastically changed the British economy and society. There was a growing need for markets for British goods.
3.Economic Interests: The industrial and capitalist classes in Britain saw India not just as a colony to govern but as a vast market for their industrial products.