Book Review
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120160417 |
| Published date | 01 October 2016 |
| Author | Himanshu Roy |
| Date | 01 October 2016 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
BOOK
REVIEW
Sidharth
Mishra
(ed.),
Company to Crown,
Sriav, New Delhi, pp.191,
Price 250, 2016.
Colonialism in India, economic and non-economic, and its resistance
by people in different forms have been the subject
of
analysis for more
than two centuries. The Company Raj
of
the British East India Company
which begun its rule from a part
of
Bengal in 1757 gradually acquired the
entire territorial sovereignty ofMughal India
by
1850. The 1857 rebellion,
however, sealed its fate in India. It was replaced by the Crown. But in the
period
of
a century, the Company Raj actuated a kind
of
social transformation
that was rarely known
in
the pre-colonial Indian history in such a short span
and, on such a vast scale. It was a substantive break from the past which
changed the elite structure, nature
of
state and ushered in new technology
and economy. This book analyses this period
ofhistory
of
a century (1757-
1857) admirably which is aptly captioned as Company
to
CrOlrn
with the
logos
of
both on the cover page.
The Company, which was formed on
31st
December, 1600,
by
218
members, knights, aldermen and burgesses
'to
trade with East in spices and
in other ·products prized for their utility or beauty in the West', gradually
began to partly perform the role
of
the state since 1757. Interestingly, the
Company had raised its first troops
of
approximately 250 sepoys only
nine years ago, in 1748, at Madras. Yet, that it could defeat a much larger
Indian force within three hours at Plassey in the rainy season reflects
its determination, nature and functioning to expand its trade in India
representing the emergent mercantile class
of
England. And it may be
further added here that the Company had lost the battle
just
a year ago to
the army
ofNawab
of
Bengal. It was not purely the treachery
of
Mir
Jaffar
but also the superiority
of
better organised power
of
the Company that led
to its victory despite the fact that even the Nawab's forces were also being
modernised by the French. Had Mir Jaffar not betrayed, the Company would
have, probably, lost the battle. Yet, it would have attempted for victory next
time as it had done in the past. The Company's expansion as trading power
even before the battle
of
Plassey reflects its rising power.
The book contains eight chapters on diverse aspects
of
the Company
Raj contributed
by
young scholars teaching and researching in the field
affiliated to different universities in Delhi. Almost all papers are
of
high
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