Throughout history, colonialism was a common norm in the past around the world, but Europeans dominated this aspect of life compared to every other country. Europeans expanded overseas and evolved from the sixteenth-century colonialism fueled by mercantilism to the nineteenth-century nationalistic imperialism. Colonialism and nationalistic imperialism, both had different forces compelling them. This caused different countries to participate in the phenomenon differently, but similar goals. During this colonialism and imperialism era, that took over the world, they tend to be comparable as they both have the same objectives.
As Europeans countries were colonizing other countries, the British soon came to colonize India; where the Hindu religion was suppressed, but society improved. A Hindu group has never existed under a religious identity that was united, even though in modern day there are many traditions of Hinduism existing before the British colonialism. A specific Hindu religion that the British eradicated was the practice of Sati. Sati is a traditional practice among the Hindu community by which a recently widowed woman was either by force or voluntarily to commit suicide as result of their husband’s death. The colonialism of India has more positively than negatively impacted the country’s femininity, religion, and their practices;
The masculinity and femininity has not only changed over time, but also is based on the culture; where they’re from. The gender division is essentially the cultural construction of what males and females do; “Men are this, woman is this” stereotypes. In a lecture from October 24, 2017; It stated as an example of where British settlers coming upon Indian people where woman farm, and men hunted. Whereas during that tie the British men farmed instead. The British have done everything for India for hundreds of years, and have given them no responsibility for their government, as Mr. Ghandi stated in the reading “Selections from Mother India.” The woman didn’t have much rights in India prior to the British colonialism due the traditional religious practices. If the wife “failed” to give their husband a child, he may send her on a pilgrimage to a temple bearing gifts. The wife had no choice, or say in being sent to a temple to be impregnated by another man, different form their husband. Along with the practice of Sati, where woman was either voluntarily or forced to commit suicide after their husband’s death. Prior to the British colonizing India, women did not have many freedoms or rights, and were either forced to actions when they were being involuntarily. The British helped the woman of India, by eradicating multiple traditions and controlling their government.
Let’s specifically talk about the religious Hindu practice of Sati, that was the most controversial thing that the British government was against. During this era of feminism and focus on equality and rights, it is difficult to take in the culture, information, etc. and understand completely the practice of Sati. This practice can be generalized as the widow voluntarily or being forced to commit suicide by the burning of her or buried alive with her significant other, due to the death of her husband. Sati was a common practice, and accepted among the Hindu community. It was found among every single social level, chosen by both uneducated and high ranking woman at the time. The term Sati originated from the goddess Sati, who also goes by Dakshayani. The goddess who was self-immolated because she couldn’t bear her father’s humiliation of her living husband Shiva. The practice grew in popularity, specifically in Southern India, but began to die out over the centuries.
The British government called the practice of Sati, “widow burning”; in which became a topic that concerned the new administrators. The role and duties of the British in India started to raise uncomfortable and challenging issues. Attempts were made in the early 16th century attempting to cease forcing woman to be burnt to death. However, the outrage of the foreigners caused the response of the British to be lacking strength.
The British coming to India and colonizing has made a more positive impact, than negative. Although, whenever you hear about another country colonizing another, you would think that the colonized country was ran dry of it’s resources with no freedom. One of the positive things out of the many that the British introduced to India was Democracy. Prior to the British ruling, India was governed by the Mughal Emperors, who were defined to be effective dictators. The British introduced a system of democracy among the various states and councils, where every representative was chosen by the popular votes. This allowed for a more democratic government than the emperors that ruled, who searched to deprive the untouchable levels of infrastructure for independence. In addition, Britain implemented a Western-style physical and organization structures and facilities needed to operate daily society, which was far more efficient and sophisticated than the government system of the Mughal emperors. Administration began improving at each level of society. Britain also provided India with railway networks, electricity, etc. The British eradicated some of the inhumane practices that were common and accepted prior to the colonialism, such as that of burning a man's wife to death when the husband has died.
In conclusion, Britain introduced India into the modern world of the 19th and 20th century, changing it from the Mediaeval era beforehand, and began creating a new, advanced, organized, and human society, and administration. The femininity of India has gone from being forced to do Hindu practices, to gaining more freedom and having the choice to deny it. Even though the administration outlawed the barbaric practices afterwards. Sometimes the colonizing of another country is not always a negative thing, but something that needed to happen for them to improve in the world.