British Colonial Exploitation

British Colonial Exploitation

According to Oxfam's research , the British Empire extracted approximately $64.82 trillion (in today’s value) from India between 1765 and 1900 . Out of this, around $33.8 trillion (more than half) went to the richest 10% of the British population.

Economic Impact on India

• India's share in the world's industrial output drastically fell from 25% in 1750 to merely 2% by 1900 due to British colonial exploitation .
• This period marked India's economic decline while boosting the material success of Britain.

Beneficiaries in Britain

• Apart from the wealthiest elites, even Britain's middle class benefited from the plunder, receiving about one-third of the wealth extracted from India.
• Many of Britain’s rich families trace their wealth back to slavery and colonialism .
• Although the Industrial Revolution played a key role in Britain's economic growth , India’s resources were heavily exploited to fuel this growth.
• However, Britain often uses the industrial age as a pretext to downplay colonial exploitation .

Case for Reparations

• The article highlights that a strong case for reparations exists due to the immense economic exploitation India suffered.
• It argues that acknowledging the colonial loot is not merely about money but also about historical accountability .

Education and Historical Accountability

• The article emphasizes that the British education system continues to downplay or overlook the harsh realities of colonial plunder .
• It suggests that reforming the education curriculum to include colonial exploitation can be a good starting point toward accountability.