The British Empire ruled more than 50 countries of the world including India for hundreds of years. During this time he used the resources of many countries and enslaved millions of people. Now when many former colonies are demanding compensation from Britain for that historical injustice, a statement by former British Home Minister and Indian origin leader Suella Braverman has sparked a new debate. Braverman, of Indian origin, said that instead of demanding compensation for slavery and exploitation, former British colonies should return the money for the development done by Britain.
Braverman says that the British Raj developed systems like railways, law and order and democracy in these countries, hence it should also be valued. This controversy started when the Caribbean country Jamaica started preparations to formally demand compensation from Britain’s King King Charles III for the slave trade that took place during British rule.
How much money is Braverman asking for and why?
Suella Braverman has not asked for any specific amount. He has presented this as an argument. He says that if the old colonies can demand compensation from Britain for slavery and colonial rule, then Britain can also demand the price from those countries for building railways, law and order and democratic institutions.
He argues that today’s British citizens should not be punished for the events that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries. He wrote on social media platform
Why is Jamaica seeking damages?
To understand Jamaica’s side, we have to understand a huge injustice in history. The Jamaican government is going to King Charles III on September 6 with a petition demanding reparations from Britain for the slave trade. Jamaica and the Caribbean countries (CARICOM) have a very solid logic behind this. When Britain abolished slavery in 1833, it passed a law in its Parliament. Under this law the British government took a loan of 20 million pounds. This was 40% of the total budget of Britain at that time.
Did the slaves get this money?
Of course not, this money was given as compensation to the 46,000 British owners whose slaves were freed. That is, the slaveholders were compensated for their losses, but the slaves who were whipped for generations and toiled for free did not get a single penny.
The most surprising thing is that Britain’s Treasury (Finance Ministry) itself had admitted that the last installment of this loan of 20 million pounds was repaid in the year 2015. This means that by 2015, black citizens of Caribbean origin living in Britain were also paying the debt of their tax money to the families of those who had once enslaved their ancestors.
How much property did Britain loot from India?
Suella Braverman says that British rule brought development in its colonies. But India’s history raises many questions on this claim. Britain ruled India for almost 200 years. During this period, Indian wealth was transported to Britain on a large scale.
- Open loot of 45 trillion dollars: According to the research of eminent economist and JNU Professor Emeritus Dr. Utsa Patnaik, the British looted wealth worth about 45 trillion dollars from India between 1765 and 1938. This is almost 11 times more than Britain’s total GDP today ($4.26 trillion). This research was published by Columbia University Press.
- Loot method: The British used to collect heavy taxes from Indians, and with the same tax money, they used to buy Indian goods (cotton cloth, spices etc.) and sell them in Europe at expensive prices. That means Indians were being paid for their own goods from their own taxes and the profits were going directly to London.
Was railway built for the development of India?
Suella Braverman claims that Britain provided railways and modern system to India. But many historians believe that the main objective of railways was not the development of India. Railways were used to transport raw materials from villages and mines to ports and from there to Britain. During this period, many local industries of India, especially the textile industry, gradually weakened. This process is called de-industrialization.
How true is the claim of democracy?
Braverman says that Britain gave democracy to its colonies. But democracy in India is not considered to be the gift of the British. India achieved its democracy after a long struggle for independence. Massacres like Jallianwala Bagh took place during British rule. In 1943, due to the policies of the Churchill government, the Bengal famine resulted in the death of more than 30 lakh people. Therefore, historians consider the British rule as an oppressive rule instead of giving democracy.
Suella Braverman’s statement is a symbol of the colonial mentality that is still deeply entrenched in a large political class of Britain. They refuse to accept that the shining buildings and strong economy of Britain today are based on the sweat of Jamaican slaves and the looted treasure from countries like India.
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