Stages of British Rule/Colonialism in India

• Basic nature of British rule over India was to promote their own interest, but this nature changes with changing pattern of Britain’s own social, economic and political development.

First Phase-Mercantile Capitalism (1757-1813)

• Before 1757, East India Company was interested only in making money. It wanted a monopoloy of trade with India, so that no other English or European merchants compete with it. They also discouraged Indian merchants.
• In First Phase, the Company maintained traditional machinery of revenue collection (agricultural taxes) like their predecessors. No change in administration, judicial system, transport and communication, agriculture industry. No attempts were made to spread ....