British-era Social Reforms

British-era social reforms were legislative interventions, often propelled by Indian intellectual reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, aimed at eradicating harmful socio-religious customs such as Sati, enforced widowhood, and child marriage. These laws marked a critical, complex intersection between colonial governance, Western liberal thought, and the indigenous demand for social modernization.

Major Developments & Impact

Early British Period

  • Abolition of Sati (Regulation XVII, 1829): Spearheaded by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck and Indian reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who strategically employed Shastric arguments to legally justify the prohibition of the practice.
  • Initial State Intervention: Established the legal ....
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Indian History