The Main Causes of the Revolt of 1857 and Its Impact on Indian History

The Revolt of 1857 stands as a significant landmark in Indian history. While Indian Nationalism began to take shape as a national movement during the latter part of the 19th century, its earliest seeds were sown at the beginning of the 19th century. Before delving into the rise and development of the Indian National Movement, it is pertinent to touch upon a significant event of the 19th century.

That event was the Revolt of 1857. It was the final, though unsuccessful, attempt by the various social classes of the old Indian society to drive out the British from India and return to the pre-British social and political existence. The Revolt was a result of suppressed anger and accumulated discontent among different strata of the old society, who suffered due to the British conquest, the new economic policies, and the social changes introduced by the British Government.

Causes of the Revolt of 1857

The main causes of this Revolt were the British expansion policy, which led to the annexation of several princely states, the new land revenue system that pushed the Indian peasantry into extreme economic distress, and the massive destruction of Indian artisans and craftsmen due to the influx of British machine-made goods in the Indian market. Although the Revolt began as a military uprising, it quickly transformed into a widespread rebellion. In other words, the revolt soon turned into insurrection in various parts of Northern and Central India. In this article, the writer will delve into the reasons behind the revolt and analyze whether the movement was ultimately a triumph or a failure.

The year 1857 witnessed significant rebellions in different parts of central and northern India. One pivotal event was the uprising on May 10, 1857, when the 11th and 20th Native Cavalry of the Bengal Army, stationed in Meerut, turned against their superiors. Seeking support, the rebels turned to Delhi to seek the blessings of the Mughal Emperor and legitimize their actions. The Revolt of 1857, irrespective of its true nature and character, was so remarkable that it seemed for a time that the Company's Raj would be overthrown from India. However, order was eventually restored by the British forces in the spring of 1858.

The Revolt was fundamentally different from previous instances of rebellion, which were sporadic and related to local issues. It spread on a larger scale, and sepoys mutinied at various centers, followed by general unrest. Notable leaders of the revolt included Tantia Tope at Bareilly, Begum Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow, Rani Lakshmibai in Jhansi, Nana Sahib in Kanpur, and Khan Bahadur in Rohilakhand. The Revolt shattered the comfortable illusion of "all is well in India under the British rule." It effectively ended British rule for a considerable time in specific parts of India, making it the most discussed event in modern Indian history. However, like any such event, the Revolt of 1857 has sparked debates. While most indigenous historians and scholars refer to it as the 'War of Independence,' most British and European scholars categorize it as 'rebellion,' with a few exceptions. The Revolt has also been depicted as a purely military eruption caused primarily by flawed strategies of the East India Company's military authorities and the insubordination of Indian troops.

A people's uprising or a mere rebellion?

The question that has puzzled many historians is whether the event was a people's uprising or a mere rebellion. Official works on the 1857 revolt set the trend for Imperialist historiography. Some historians, like Sir John Kaye (1864), attributed the uprising to hurt religious sentiments, violations of caste norms, and the issue of greased cartridges. They saw the British as a progressive force and the uprising as a reactionary, local desire. On the other hand, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1970) offered a more empathetic view of the goals of the insurgents, viewing the revolt as a struggle for Swadharma (one's religion) and Swarajya (one's own domain) and dividing it into two phases: destructive and creative.

In 1957, a major Indian intervention in the debate occurred. Surendranath Sen (1995) presented a careful official history, concluding that it was a war of freedom that gained a national scope in the recently annexed Kingdom of Awadh. He dismissed the notion of mere indiscipline and disinterest. According to Sen, the revolt had its roots in the discontent among the sepoys and gained strength from the widespread alienation of the common people. This view had been expressed by British officials and English collectors well before it manifested in the Indian society. Other historians like RC Majumdar (1963) considered nationalism in India during the 19th century to be in its early stages, with no clear sense of nationalism as it is known today.

The discussion took on another dimension with the work of Thomas Metcalf (1965), who agreed that 1857 was a broad-based uprising directed against the new landowning class. He argued that due to agrarian grievances arising from British over-taxation and the transfer of landed property to moneylenders, the people of the North West Provinces supported the revolutionary cause. However, the revolt could be called significant only in Awadh, where the taluqdars and peasants jointly rebelled against British rule. Subsequently, Eric Stokes (1988) analyzed the impact of the revolt of the peasant forces at the heart of the nation, rejecting the artificial distinction between 'civil' and 'military' dimensions of 1857.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Revolt of 1857, also known as India's First War of Independence, marked a crucial chapter in the country's history. Starting on May 10, 1857, when Indian sepoys rebelled in Meerut, it soon spread across central and northern India. The British East India Company's rapid expansion and policies that burdened the Indian population with high taxes and oppression led to a boiling unrest. The Revolt may have been unsuccessful, but it laid the groundwork for India's eventual freedom in 1947. It was a manifestation of the Indian people's desire for independence in the face of British expansionism and oppression.

References

1. Spear, T. G. (1990). The Sepoy Mutiny and the Revolt of 1857. In A History of India (pp. 179-204). Penguin Books India.
2. Majumdar, R. C. (1963). The Sepoy Mutiny and the Revolt of 1857. Allied Publishers.
3. Metcalf, T. R. (1965). The Indian Uprising of 1857-8: Prerequisites and Course. The Journal of Asian Studies, 24(1), 49-76.
4. Chandra, B. (1984). India's Struggle for Independence, 1857-1947. Penguin Books India.
5. Chatterjee, P. (1993). The Nation and Its Fragments: Colonial and Postcolonial Histories. Princeton University Press.