British Involvemnt in India 1750-1850

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Between 1750 and 1850 the most important colonial possession in Asia was British India. Differing from the changes that British India brought to North America, the changes that the British made in Asia did not bring political independence. The East India Company was chartered in 1600 by the crown and was quickly made into a large powerful authority. The East India Company quickly took over India’s imports and exports in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries along with controlling the Chinese economy greatly with the power of opium imports. Britain operated on claims that their system was based on free trade but the practices that they followed showed anything but that. The East India Company first tried to control India’s commerce. They did this by establishing trading posts along the shore lines without gaining total political control. The company's officials started to gain personal fortunes. When the company conquered the state of Bengal in 1757 the British governor pocketed a portion of the tax revenues. The British gained the right for the East India Company to collect tax revenues in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. They also were able to trade freely throughout the Mughal territory. In return for these rights the emperors would get a very large yearly pension. By the early 1800’s the East India Company gained control over much of South Asia The company in order to gain more power would enlist Hindu kings and Muslim princes to gain more power and to be allowed to collect more money. But the company also relied on a very large military force and a centralized bureaucracy. Together they helped the company collect and guarantee their revenues. Having a large army mint there was a need for a large amount of taxation in order for to get all the funds needed. From 1793 the policies of the lands made by the East India Company required both large and small landowners
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