Good stuff, TJ. Makes so much sense. I found your last line struck home: that Indians just adapt to whatever comes their way. That has long been a person spiritual goal of mine. Just be yourself and adapt to whatever you experience w/out attachment or aversion.
Yeah, taking the lower position is definetely the best way--for small countries. Be maleable. Adjust. Know your place. For the big countries, it is: show constrain, act responsible, pull in the smaller ones. India is a big country that acts like a small country. ;-) Best! T
Plus, we tend to lump them together, India and China, as if their people are all the same, which isn’t true; they’re more diverse than we are in the US.
Your polemics are quite original, Dr. P. Congratulations. I also believe that we are living in a prison world. The allegory of a planetary 'Human Farm' is relatable. History is being rewritten, usually by the winner. The British in India acted hardly alone. They later made it look as though they took India all by themselves. The British first landed in India mainly as traders, with the English East India Company making huge profits between 1600 and 1760. The Dutch, French, and Portuguese also had trading companies and were the main competition, often clashing with the English to keep a monopoly. The British ships also brought German and Italian missionaries to the East.
By 1765, things started to shift. The Dutch chose to focus on Indonesia, while the Portuguese mostly continued their missionary work in India, which left only the French as a major rival. Around the same time, France was heavily supporting the American fight for independence, which drained their resources. This made it easier for the British to defeat them in India. Both the British and French were aligning with Indian princes, and that's how they got pulled into local politics.
Eventually, the British East India Company secured special tax breaks in Bengal and, through heavy corruption and collusion with subversive organisations, managed to defeat the Nawab of Bengal. They then began taxing the people there without paying for exports, raking in huge revenues. This was clearly exploitative, but no more exploitative than today's American companies taxing everyone who makes business with Americans. Besides, the Anglo-Saxons had always been very advanced in the extrapolation of profits. Today, we call this rent-seeking, copyrights, and royalties. Bengal became a British stronghold, which they used to play local princes and provinces against each other. Over the next century, from 1760 to 1860, nearly all of India came under British control, although some princely states remained semi-independent but mostly cooperated with British rule. It must be said that most Indians did not know they were under foreign occupation, as life went one as usual. It could be compared to today's American occupation of Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the Phillipines. They people there are militarily, economically, and politically occupied without noticing it, as normal life goes on.
You are quite right that India was divided into over a thousand kingdoms, often at odds with each other. The British used clever tactics to manipulate and eventually betray everyone. It also helped that England was Christian and had just one God, one Church, one Mission for everyone. The Indians had never developed a proper religion. Instead, they had a three to seven main gods, hundreds of deities, many with animal features, half-gods, nine types of hell, and what have you. Very unorganized and ineffective. Oddly enough, this is also part of the reason why India exists as a unified country today. People are rediscovering Classical India much like they once rediscovered Classical Greece. There is a definetely an Indian Renaissance happening.
Again, thank you very much for your impeccable research and your bravery to speak truth to power. Sincerly!
Wonderful comment. Thank you very much! The rulers have a ruler's justice system and a ruler's language. The subjects are illiterate in this. The rulers can interpret the rules as they wish, without the ruled being able to defend themselves. That would be like if the Indians now annexed Britain (quite possible, because of the demographics and the philosophy of making amends) and introduced the Devanagari script, complete with the Indian legal system. Then the English, all illiterate in this, would be finished immediately. They would have to go to India and study England. They would have no chance of ever regain self-governance. Language is power. As long as India is under the yoke of the English ruler's language, it will be under the yoke of the English rulers. That's why a few thousand British scribblers could easily dominate a country of one billion Indian illiterates. Something like that. Appreciate! T
By golly, strong piece, Dr. P! I can concur. India's universities are modeled after the British. Most are no older than 20 years or since independence (1947). Sanskrit is the Latin of India, and not widely taught. For all sense and purpose, we could say that New India is a very young, modern, democratic and English-reading Civilization.
Thanks. Being a young nation can be a a great strength (see the US). India has correctly identified its old Vedic/Hindu tradition as lacking, to put it mildly. The way forward for India must not be the way back into its past. What can be found in the history of colonialism can be very depressing. But that is just my views. Best! T
India cannot punch above its weight. It is the biggest population on the planet. Never uses that superpower though. I wonder why. Hinduttva by the way was a big problem in the California textbook affair in the 00s. Its ideology, let's call Hindu fascism, is on the rise not just in Delhi, but among the Indian nationalist diaspora in the West. Never underestimate the future.
It's French. Ironically, France has African immigration, not Indian. The author wanted to stick it to the Britons I guess who had lost authority over 900 million Indian subjects. If the Eastlings were being smart and building boats, that would make Europe the new East and America the last West. Oneness's postponed. 🇮🇳😀
India has a better chance of survival because half of the populations exist like cockroaches, no offence. They just don't mind apocalyptic levels of poverty. They also stick to their democracy. Good for them!
Mmh, on the principle of independent meta democracy, this was the best version. In India, you don't have dictators and economic extremes (Mao-Xi), but you can survive with full conscience. The Chinese Communist Party struggles with its legitimacy regardless of the party's achievements. India can be relaxing (Gandhi Modi). There is complete and utter chaos there, but it has the backs of its people. 👍🏻
Not as bad as in South Korea right now. The birth rate was just reported to have fallen below the 0.8 per couple. It will half every generation now. In 60 years, the lights go out.
The basic idea was to study foreign cultures and languages for the good. Good as in, good relations, better translations, the best people. That quickly turned into outright abuses. Our India experts turned into greedy colonialists, thiefs, and manipulators. Same with our China experts. In Britain, a degree in China Studies is basically a degree in British colonialism on China. Something like that. Best! T
We went to Delhi and Kalkutta, twice. It looked like Shanghai but 30 years ago. The countryside is bad though. The people really swing where the wind blows them. A very chaotic people, but lovable. The English were too well organized. I think Kipling put India in the jungle. Wild, untamed, animalistic. Good article. Made me think!
They make good IT workers. So many Indians were made top CEO in America but I can't help thinking that they work best under supervision. Never heard of an Indian stealing secrets. India wouldn't know what to do with it.
Good stuff, TJ. Makes so much sense. I found your last line struck home: that Indians just adapt to whatever comes their way. That has long been a person spiritual goal of mine. Just be yourself and adapt to whatever you experience w/out attachment or aversion.
Yeah, taking the lower position is definetely the best way--for small countries. Be maleable. Adjust. Know your place. For the big countries, it is: show constrain, act responsible, pull in the smaller ones. India is a big country that acts like a small country. ;-) Best! T
Plus, we tend to lump them together, India and China, as if their people are all the same, which isn’t true; they’re more diverse than we are in the US.
Your polemics are quite original, Dr. P. Congratulations. I also believe that we are living in a prison world. The allegory of a planetary 'Human Farm' is relatable. History is being rewritten, usually by the winner. The British in India acted hardly alone. They later made it look as though they took India all by themselves. The British first landed in India mainly as traders, with the English East India Company making huge profits between 1600 and 1760. The Dutch, French, and Portuguese also had trading companies and were the main competition, often clashing with the English to keep a monopoly. The British ships also brought German and Italian missionaries to the East.
By 1765, things started to shift. The Dutch chose to focus on Indonesia, while the Portuguese mostly continued their missionary work in India, which left only the French as a major rival. Around the same time, France was heavily supporting the American fight for independence, which drained their resources. This made it easier for the British to defeat them in India. Both the British and French were aligning with Indian princes, and that's how they got pulled into local politics.
Eventually, the British East India Company secured special tax breaks in Bengal and, through heavy corruption and collusion with subversive organisations, managed to defeat the Nawab of Bengal. They then began taxing the people there without paying for exports, raking in huge revenues. This was clearly exploitative, but no more exploitative than today's American companies taxing everyone who makes business with Americans. Besides, the Anglo-Saxons had always been very advanced in the extrapolation of profits. Today, we call this rent-seeking, copyrights, and royalties. Bengal became a British stronghold, which they used to play local princes and provinces against each other. Over the next century, from 1760 to 1860, nearly all of India came under British control, although some princely states remained semi-independent but mostly cooperated with British rule. It must be said that most Indians did not know they were under foreign occupation, as life went one as usual. It could be compared to today's American occupation of Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the Phillipines. They people there are militarily, economically, and politically occupied without noticing it, as normal life goes on.
You are quite right that India was divided into over a thousand kingdoms, often at odds with each other. The British used clever tactics to manipulate and eventually betray everyone. It also helped that England was Christian and had just one God, one Church, one Mission for everyone. The Indians had never developed a proper religion. Instead, they had a three to seven main gods, hundreds of deities, many with animal features, half-gods, nine types of hell, and what have you. Very unorganized and ineffective. Oddly enough, this is also part of the reason why India exists as a unified country today. People are rediscovering Classical India much like they once rediscovered Classical Greece. There is a definetely an Indian Renaissance happening.
Again, thank you very much for your impeccable research and your bravery to speak truth to power. Sincerly!
Wonderful comment. Thank you very much! The rulers have a ruler's justice system and a ruler's language. The subjects are illiterate in this. The rulers can interpret the rules as they wish, without the ruled being able to defend themselves. That would be like if the Indians now annexed Britain (quite possible, because of the demographics and the philosophy of making amends) and introduced the Devanagari script, complete with the Indian legal system. Then the English, all illiterate in this, would be finished immediately. They would have to go to India and study England. They would have no chance of ever regain self-governance. Language is power. As long as India is under the yoke of the English ruler's language, it will be under the yoke of the English rulers. That's why a few thousand British scribblers could easily dominate a country of one billion Indian illiterates. Something like that. Appreciate! T
Look at London now. How the migthy have fallen.
By golly, strong piece, Dr. P! I can concur. India's universities are modeled after the British. Most are no older than 20 years or since independence (1947). Sanskrit is the Latin of India, and not widely taught. For all sense and purpose, we could say that New India is a very young, modern, democratic and English-reading Civilization.
Thanks. Being a young nation can be a a great strength (see the US). India has correctly identified its old Vedic/Hindu tradition as lacking, to put it mildly. The way forward for India must not be the way back into its past. What can be found in the history of colonialism can be very depressing. But that is just my views. Best! T
Well said
Dr. Pattnberg is always intellectually stimulating
India cannot punch above its weight. It is the biggest population on the planet. Never uses that superpower though. I wonder why. Hinduttva by the way was a big problem in the California textbook affair in the 00s. Its ideology, let's call Hindu fascism, is on the rise not just in Delhi, but among the Indian nationalist diaspora in the West. Never underestimate the future.
Great! Have you read the 'Camp of the Saints'? It pretty much explains the whole reverse colonialisation situation.
Yeah, there was a rip-off English copy on Amazon, I got it. The censors can't stop followers from reloading the forbidden, I guess. Take care! T
It's French. Ironically, France has African immigration, not Indian. The author wanted to stick it to the Britons I guess who had lost authority over 900 million Indian subjects. If the Eastlings were being smart and building boats, that would make Europe the new East and America the last West. Oneness's postponed. 🇮🇳😀
India has a better chance of survival because half of the populations exist like cockroaches, no offence. They just don't mind apocalyptic levels of poverty. They also stick to their democracy. Good for them!
Sure! Demography is destiny!
Mmh, on the principle of independent meta democracy, this was the best version. In India, you don't have dictators and economic extremes (Mao-Xi), but you can survive with full conscience. The Chinese Communist Party struggles with its legitimacy regardless of the party's achievements. India can be relaxing (Gandhi Modi). There is complete and utter chaos there, but it has the backs of its people. 👍🏻
He's 100% right about India, though.
I am a first subscriber and I really love your Humans Farm project! Way to go!!!
Yes you are, Igor! Thank you so much for your continuous support and friendship! Hope to see you one day in Tokyo! All the best! T
Fine, not interested in India. Got the feeling that civilization is collapsing now. Everywhere feels the same. Good luck to everyone!
I understand. Just didn't want to leave out (as part of the The Human Farm project) the crazy story about how England took India. Best! T
Not as bad as in South Korea right now. The birth rate was just reported to have fallen below the 0.8 per couple. It will half every generation now. In 60 years, the lights go out.
Bravo, Dr. P! Those Masters of Foreign Cultures degrees are sickening. They were invented in Prussia and make no sense now. Imperialism is dead.
The basic idea was to study foreign cultures and languages for the good. Good as in, good relations, better translations, the best people. That quickly turned into outright abuses. Our India experts turned into greedy colonialists, thiefs, and manipulators. Same with our China experts. In Britain, a degree in China Studies is basically a degree in British colonialism on China. Something like that. Best! T
You are helping a lot of people with this
We went to Delhi and Kalkutta, twice. It looked like Shanghai but 30 years ago. The countryside is bad though. The people really swing where the wind blows them. A very chaotic people, but lovable. The English were too well organized. I think Kipling put India in the jungle. Wild, untamed, animalistic. Good article. Made me think!
Also, Modi is anti-West, pro-BRICS. I don't know but many Indians may come to regret this. Do you really want to learn Chinese?!
They make good IT workers. So many Indians were made top CEO in America but I can't help thinking that they work best under supervision. Never heard of an Indian stealing secrets. India wouldn't know what to do with it.
In a fair world, India will be a leader among the nations. 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳👍🏻