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Debate Score:17
Arguments:12
Total Votes:18
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 True (6)
 
 False (6)

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Axmeister(4322) pic



The British Empire did more good than harm to India

Nearly everyone assumes that the British Empire drained India dry of their economy, but recent calculations show that only 1% of India's net income went back to Britain.

http://www.isreview.org/issues/32/ferguson.shtml

(if you ignore all the silly socialist junk you might be able to find a quote froma  book agreeing this)

True

Side Score: 8
VS.

False

Side Score: 9
2 points

We allowed Indian boys to be educated in Britain, restored the Taj Mahal and constructed a rail networked that has aided Indian transport to this day.

Side: True
themaverick(2) Disputed
1 point

Wow thank you so much for your kindness. However, the fact remains that all of these acts were done to help the British Empire and not the Indian citizens. The rail networks were built to facilitate the transport of Indian raw materials back to England. It's as if a burglar comes into the apartment and takes all your wealth but mows your lawn and then the thief claims that they have well kept lawn thanks to him. That's not a valid argument. The fact remains that everything the Britishers did they did for their own personal gain and profit and any resultant benefits were more like side benefits. Also for the record the rails were paid for using Indian taxpayer money and in huge net profit to British commonwealth. The Indians were literally forced to pay to help Britishers rob them. And also several countries have successful rail networks without having to be colonised to have one

Side: False
1 point

actually what happened is after British came only our country is developed. It is now approximately between 50th rich countries and if British did not come to our India, India would be between 10th poorest countries. so that we can not say that British did more harm to India OK.

Side: True
1 point

i have no idea but i have a debate in my humanities class where i have to prove that imperialism was GOOD so ill just say that it was good bcuz India is fucking awesome now and who knows if it would've been awesome if the British didnt go there and do their little noob cause problem solve problem shit.

Side: True
1 point

This Is rite becuz it sed so and i hole hartedly beliv dis

Side: True
3 points

This is completely and totally false, it is thorugh that the British did a lot of good for India (most notably the rail network) i think any Indian would agree that these things were only done for self interested reasons (as is the case with all colonial rulers) the fact that some of these things had a psoitive effect on the country later should detract from the fact that they were intended to serve only british interests e.g. the rail network was constructed in order to facilitate the transportation of goods out of the country, or to be mroe accurate, to plunder the sub-continent of India for the benefit of British elites. India was a very properous country before being taken over by Britain, the subsequent colonisation caused untold suffering and starvation that still persists to this day.

Side: False
varshavarsh(2) Disputed
1 point

how can u just say that still we are suffering from starvation?

before British came to India there was more starvation than today OK and you said that railways are built for British interests and somehow it is now useful right then how can u blame British

Side: True
2 points

The British Empire did more good than harm to India

The British empire did good and whatever the reasons may that is a fact. We owe the Great Britain our Parliamentary system, English Education, the seeds of democracy, a system, a major role in technology, the Press(Which ironically disputed the rule of Britain by the Britishers.)

But, the Indian richness was literally stolen by the corrupt officials, unfair means of discrimination existed even under the Queen's rule. Bengal which always overflowed with wealth was reduced to famines and death which was left unattended by the British.

Indian raw goods were exchanged with zero taxes.

Not just were we economically declined but also socially!

Indian Poverty began from the British period. If the Britain was just so goal oriented, how come did it ignore the economy!

Side: False
Axmeister(4322) Disputed
2 points

"But, the Indian richness was literally stolen by the corrupt officials, unfair means of discrimination existed even under the Queen's rule."

Could you give an example of these "corrupt officials"? Bengal which always overflowed with wealth was reduced to famines and death which was left unattended by the British."

Yes , there was a famine but the British Empire did a lot of irrigation that gretly improved farmland from when it was under the rule of the Mughals.

"Indian raw goods were exchanged with zero taxes."

Isn't that free trade, which would have encouraged people to buy Indian goods.

"Not just were we economically declined but also socially!"

The christians in Britain attempted to improve Indian society by remobing strict religious practices like the burning of a wife when her husband dies.

"Indian Poverty began from the British period. If the Britain was just so goal oriented, how come did it ignore the economy!"*

Yes, many of the Indians didn't see much of the wealth that was improving their country but the British Empire invested huge amounts of money into the country.

Side: True
92nida(1411) Disputed
1 point

Could you give an example of these "corrupt officials"?

"Under British rule, corruption in India had two distinct faces. One, which was not recognized as such, was the fundamental corruption consequent upon one nation ruling over another and exploiting it. The other was the ordinary corruption in administration.

As soon as the John Company established its rule, it systematized and sanctioned administrative corruption. Officials of the Company were paid incredibly low salaries. They were expected to supplement their income by getting or extracting compulsory levies from those who were obliged to have dealings with them. When the administration was transferred from the John Company to the Crown, the higher services manned by the British received emoluments out of all proportion to the functions they performed or the capacity of the Indian people to pay. The result was a top-heavy administration, which was condemned by the Congress year after year in its annual sessions."

-J.B.Kripalani.

Yes , there was a famine but the British Empire did a lot of irrigation that gretly improved farmland from when it was under the rule of the Mughals.

How can you expect a catastrophe like calamity to be solved by a couple of reforms that were never fully implemented. What kinda irrigation that made no difference? That left Bengal dying for years even after the famine ended?

http://strassers.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/british-east-india-company-and-the-great-bengal-famine/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_famine_of_1770#East_India_Company_responsibilities

The christians in Britain attempted to improve Indian society by remobing strict religious practices like the burning of a wife when her husband dies

Yes, I agree with the fact that a lot of practices were forbidden, all Indians were treated equally irrespective of the hierarchy! But, the Indians were never considered equal to a British! Why? Because we are Browns? Not even in the Prison. We never had the fair means in the administration, in the judiciary system(An English was always favored), Indians never held a rank higher than a Subedar Major in the Army, the Indian salaries were almost four times lower than the British, the provisions to the British residents were always better. Food was never at ease to the Indians.

Yes, many of the Indians didn't see much of the wealth that was improving their country but the British Empire invested huge amounts of money into the country.

The only proper investment made was during the World Wars. Not even the Education was funded appropriately. Even if Huge amounts were invested! Where did they go?

Isn't that free trade, which would have encouraged people to buy Indian goods.

What are you talking about? Indian goods needed no publicity. Indian raw has a steady popularity.

And what encouragement will a make a man happy if it is ripping them apart!

Side: False

No itt is proovin fat taht witey only distroy see teh wrold wud be millyun tymses bedder eff wites wint extnict tehn teh wite apes wud bee no morre adn sivillyzd hoomin beegns cud porgerss an sivillyzashun cnann conitinuu tu groew wihtowt witey distroyiineg progersss an drgaieeng evreyiwun down tu Draark Ageis deteheth tu wyt apes!!!!!!!!!!!!

Side: False
1 point

Stats show that after the 18th century and the subsequent rise of the British empire, India's share of the global economy plummeted from 23% to a whopping 4%. The recent debate organised by the Indo-British Heritage Trust determined that British Colonialism did indeed do more harm than good in India.

Side: False