This is the eleventh volume in the series on Indian history with the generic title, From Indus to Independence: A Trek through Indian History and provides a historic narrative and analysis of the actions of the English East India Company during the century of annexation, 1757-1857 when it transitioned to an imperial sovereign entity.
Following the Battle of Plassey, the Company unleashed a reign of uninhibited plunder in Bengal, reducing a once-wealthy province to abject poverty through oppressive trade and institutionalized corruption. Key administrative structures, such as Clive's 'Double Government,' established authority without responsibility, facilitated systemic looting by unscrupulous officials. Territorial expansion was secured through aggressive wars and the coercion of local rulers into debilitating subsidiary alliances. Pretexts for annexation often involved fabricated charges or the violation of solemn agreements, as seen in the despicable conquest of Sindh and the dismantling of the Sikh kingdom. Throughout this 'unscrupulous ascent,' the British displayed a callous disregard for Indian sovereignty. By 1818, an externally imposed political unity covered the sub-continent, leaving a legacy of economic ruin and simmering national resentment.
This book details the actions of the Company between 1757 and 1857, when, while becoming a sovereign power in India, they also transitioned from traders to systematic looters. The analysis provides an insight into how the Company centralized executive power, established an exclusionary bureaucracy, and enforced rule through coercive police and military forces. Pervasive socio-political turmoil, economic exploitation and religious grievances fuelled localized rebellions, foreshadowing the Great Uprising of 1857.
