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Book No. – 19 (Sociology)
Book Name – Social Background of Indian Nationalism (A.R. Desai)
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1. Absence of Basic and Administrative Unity in Pre-British India
2. Legal Unification
3. Administrative Unification
4. Establishment of Uniform Currency System
5. Unification, its Chief Defects
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Political and Administrative Unification of India under the British Rule
Chapter – 10
Table of Contents
Absence of Basic and Administrative Unity in Pre-British India
- One significant result of the British conquest of India was the establishment of a centralized state that brought about political and administrative unification of the country.
- This unification was unprecedented in pre-British India, which was divided into numerous feudal states often in conflict.
- Monarchs like Ashoka, Samudragupta, and Akbar attempted to unify India, but their political and administrative unity was nominal as it did not affect the self-governing villages where most of the population resided.
- Villages were self-governing republics with village committees and caste committees acting as the de facto government.
- Villages were self-supporting and self-governing, part of a loosely organized system that allowed local institutions to function independently within their limited spheres.
- The lack of a unified national economy and efficient communication systems hindered effective political and administrative unification in pre-British India.
- The rise of centralized states in Europe showed that the growth of such states is closely linked to the development of unified economies and rapid communication.
- A concept of unity existed in pre-British India, focused on geographical unity and religio-cultural unity of the Hindus.
- Hinduism provided a sense of unity among people who had no common language or political unity, but shared religious sympathies.
- Political unity of the entire Indian population did not emerge due to the lack of social and economic integration.
- The British established a new type of state structure that was highly centralized and extended to even the most remote corners of the country.