DMPQ: . What do you understand by the policy of divide and rule? (HISTORY)

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: The policy of “DIVIDE AND RULE ” is a political tool to take advantage of the schism prevalent in the society and prolong the dominance over the people . It’s an age old idea having roots dating back to Roman empire .

 

Essential features of DIVIDE and Rule followed by British are as follows :

 

  1. FAVOURITISM : Britishers knew full well that to take advantage of Indian resources they need to appease some and suppress others , so they favoured landlords and suppressed peasants .
  2. CLASS DIVISION : Indian society after to the advent of British was more class conscious . People who were western in thought and appearance looked down upon common citizens and they were played into the hands of British by getting job preferences .
  3. CREATING DIFFERENCES ON RELIGIOUS LINES : After 1857 revolt they always tried to break the unity on religious lines and favoured Muslims openly after 1906 ( Separate Electorate , GOI Act 1909 ) , much to the chagrin of HINDU fundamentalists.\

4 . KEEPING THE MASSES UNEDUCATED : Ignorance as they say is bliss and , for almost a century and half , Indians were un-informed about their nefarious trade designs due to lack of education and they looted our resources freely .

5 . ADMINISTRATIVE ALIBI FOR CLEAR COMMUNAL DIVISION : Partition of Bengal was done to further the division agenda under the garb of better administration .

Such divisive policies succeeded only as we Indians were ignorant and it ultimately culminated into the division of India and much loss of life and unmatched bitterness that persist even today between the two nations .

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