Political, Administrative and Economic Unification of the Country

Political, Administrative and Economic Unification of the Country

1. British created a larger state than that of the Mauryas or the great Mughals.

2. While Indian provinces were under ‘direct’ British rule, the princely states were under ‘indirect’ British rule

3. The British sword imposed political unity in India.

4. what are the driving forces behind the planned development of modern means of transport and communication such as railways, roads, electricity and telegraph by the british?

   • administrative convenience
   • considerations of military defence
   • urge for economic penetration and commercial exploitation

5. nationalists’ point of view

   • this process of unification had a two-fold effect
     • The economic fate of the people of different regions got linked together
       • Ex : failure of crops in one region affected the prices and supply in another region
     • Modern means of transport and communication brought people, especially the leaders, from different regions together
       • This was important for the exchange of political ideas and for mobilisation and organisation of public opinion on political and economic issues.