Why did Britishers withdraw from India ?
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Introduction
The national security adviser claimed other day that India got independence because of the role of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and INA. This is simplification of our freedom struggle that was waged by lakhs of freedom fighters incessantly for 90 years. Thousands of people got killed , butchered and maimed by the British imperialists. A deeper analysis is warranted as to why Britishers left India ?
The withdrawal of the British from India in 1947 was not an isolated event but the culmination of internal pressures, external geopolitical shifts, and the systematic erosion of the pillars of colonial governance. Following factors may be ascribed to : -
I. The Surge of Nationalism
The most potent internal factor was the rise of a structured and mass-based nationalist movement.
* Awakening and Early Phase: Influenced by 19th-century social reformers like Raja Rammohan Ray, Swami Vivekananda, and Jyotiba Phule, a sense of "Rashtrabodh" (national consciousness) was ignited .The formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 provided an all-India character to this sentiment .
* The Gandhian Era: The transition from the "Protest, Prayer, and Petition" phase of the Moderates to the mass movements led by Mahatma Gandhi changed the nature of the struggle. Movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience (1930), and Quit India (1942) transformed nationalism into a household sentiment, making India ungovernable for the British .
* Erosion of Colonial Authority: By the 1940s, the "Quit India" spirit had reached such depths that British officials found it nearly impossible to collect taxes or enforce law, as common citizens were now willing to face the utmost sacrifices for "Swaraj" .
II. The Crisis of Colonial Instruments
The British Raj rested on three pillars: the Civil Services, the Police, and the Army. By 1947, all three had weakened.
* Indianization of Services: Post-1919, the bureaucracy saw a significant influx of Indians. By 1947, over half of the District Magistrates and SPs were Indians, whose loyalties were increasingly leaning toward the nationalist cause rather than the Crown.
* The Military Blow: The trials of the Indian National Army (INA) officers at the Red Fort served as a catalyst, shifting the loyalty of the Indian soldiers within the British Indian Army . This culminated in the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946 in Bombay, involving 20,000 sailors Once the British realized they could no longer rely on the Indian sword to maintain Indian subjection, their exit became inevitable.
III. Impact of World War second and Economic Exhaustion
World War II acted as a catalyst that bankrupt the British Empire both financially and militarily.
* Economic Ruin: Although Britain emerged victorious, its economy was devastated. The loss of merchant shipping and the depletion of foreign assets made the maintenance of a distant colony like India an unbearable financial burden .
* Shift in Global Power: The war ended the era of British naval supremacy, replaced by American air and atomic power. Britain’s focus shifted toward the economic reconstruction of Western Europe (Marshall Plan) rather than managing overseas territories .
IV. External Geopolitical Pressures
* The Role of the USA: Under President Roosevelt, the US pushed for the principle of "Self-Determination" as outlined in the Atlantic Charter . The US also desired access to the vast Indian market, which was then restricted by British imperial preferences .
* Change in British Leadership: The 1945 UK elections saw the defeat of the imperialist Winston Churchill and the rise of Clement Attlee’s Labour Party. Attlee's government prioritized domestic social welfare and decolonization over maintaining a crumbling empire .
V. The Strategic Nature of the Exit
The British exit was also marked by a strategic "Imperial Interest." The partition of India and the creation of Pakistan were partly intended to maintain a foothold in the region, ensuring Karachi's port facilities and a recruitment base for future interests in the Middle East .
Conclusion
The British did not leave India out of mere benevolence. It was a calculated retreat necessitated by the collapse of their administrative machinery, the rebellion within the armed forces, and a shattered post-war economy. The relentless pressure from the Indian masses, guided by stalwarts like Gandhi,Nehru, Bose and Patel, ensured that the "Jewel in the Crown" became a liability that the British could no longer afford to hold .
