Socio-Cultural Impact of British upon India
The Orientalist phase (1772-1813)
The British socio-cultural policy during this phase was inspired by belief that to administer country. The knowledge of its culture and institution along with its past was needed. The idea was to learn about the Indian society without interfering with socio-economic practices. The policy found expression during the time of Lord Warren Hastings(1772-85). He made efforts for acquiring the knowledge of indigenous institution and India's past so as to make India more familiar to British in general and to those associated with the task of administering India in particular. Under him the European scholars like Charles Wilkins, NB Halhed and Sir Wilkins Jones started research upon Indian History and culture. Wilkins translated Gita and Hitopadesha in English. Halhed published a text on Sanskrit grammar and prepared a detail account of religious and customary laws of India which he called the code of Gentoo Laws. Warren Hastings founded the Calcutta Madarasa. Sir William Jones founded Asiatic society of Bengal in 1784. The society encourage study of India's ancient and medieval past. He translated Kalidasa's Manusmriti and Abhijanashakyntalam in English. Lord Wellesely founded fort William College in Calcutta. The task of the college was to provide knowledge about the Indian language and tradition to British officials associated with task of administration of company officials in India.
Anglicist Phase
This phase witnessed the policy of careful intervention. The Background was due to impact of American revolution, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution influence of Christian missionaries and the influence of the ideologies like Humanism, Euangelicalism and Utilitarianism. The major social reforms introduced under the influence of Anglicist Ideas are:-
- Bengal Regulation of 1795 and 1804 declared infanticide illegal and equivalent to murder.
- With the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Lord William Bentick declared sati illegal by passing the regulation in his council in 1829.
- In 1830s, Bentick initiated operation against Thugi by appointing a special task force under the charge of Colonel William Sueman.
- The Charter Act of 1833 provided for abolition of slavery in India. It was finally abolished in 1843 when sati was declared illegal.
- Due to efforts of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasager, Lord Dalhousie formulated Hindu remarriage Widow Act, 1856. This act was passed during the time of Lord camming as Governor General of India.
- The Religious Disabilities Act 1850, also known as Caste Disabilities Removal Act allowed religious conversions while retaining the ancestral property rights.
- General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 provided that the new recruit in British army of Bengal should serve overseas if needed, ending the traditional exemption upon the foreign travel.
Post 1857 the phase of Indifference
1872 passing of the Native Marriage Act which legalized Inter-Case marriages, ban polygamy and fixed the age of marriage of girls at 14 years and boys at 18 years. The Age of Consent Act 1892 raised the age of consent from 10 to 12 years for completing the conjugal rights. The Background of this act is associated with Dr. Rukma Bai Case. Child Marriage Restrain Act of 1929 popularly known as Sarda act after the name of Rai Sahab Harbilas Sarda who advocated and supported this act in legislative assembly. The act fixed the age of marriage of girl at 14 and boys at 18 years.