Эссе на тему: Victorian England. "England has no allies, only interests." Anglo-Indian Wars.

Victorian England. "England has no allies, only interests." Anglo-Indian Wars.

Over the past century, the word "empire" and everything connected with it has been perceived unambiguously negatively. Any empire is now considered evil, contrary to freedom and democracy. Imperialism is associated with the slave trade, brutal wars, exploitation of natural resources, and oppression of peoples, racism and chauvinism. However, the British historian Lawrence James, in his book The Rise and Decline of the British Empire, casts doubt on such an unequivocal assessment, revealing Britain's imperialist past from different angles. In the book, he advocates "liberal imperialism", offering the most objective assessment of the achievements and defeats of the British Empire in the Victorian era, especially in relation to India.[1]

The powerful growth of the empire during the last third of the 18th and 19th centuries led to a profound transformation of the British state and society. Industrialization and trade have catalyzed the development of science, politics, technology and religion, helping the British to redefine the way they see themselves.[2] Material superiority justified imperial expansion as part of a civilizing mission ordained by God. In ruling others, the British were shaping the modern world, but the world was also changing British society itself. These changes were characterized by the emergence of a mass society in the British Isles. The consciousness of this society was easy enough to manipulate. The Victorians saw themselves as the vanguard of Western civilization, the pioneers of industrial development.[3] They were confident in their ability to improve human conditions everywhere. Their views were based on the doctrine of liberalism, which is based on the postulate of the free market and civil rights. The Victorians believed that social energy would flow endlessly from the interplay of the human mind, the free market, and Christian ethics.

Thus, it can be noted that Great Britain did not think of enemies for itself - because in terms of living standards and development it was ahead of almost all countries of the world, which means that it could only have rivals on the world stage. It is especially important to note the relationship of the British with India. However, India was not an enemy for England - the countries were of too different levels. India was rather one of the most important zones of influence in Asia for England, and right up to the beginning of the 20th century, the British were constantly and tirelessly preparing to repel the “Russian invasion of India”. On the other hand, the colonial policy of Great Britain also underwent changes. If in the 18th century British policy in India was more likely aimed at intercultural integration, then in the 19th century the empire formulated an educational mission in relation to the colonized territories, turning from an exploiter into a protector and patron of backward states. The moral imperative moved hundreds of missionaries who were in charge of British cultural expansion among the natives and fought against the slave trade on the African continent.

Much of Britain's imperialist success was reflected in the Great Exhibition of 1851. It presented new inventions, products brought from the British colonies and outlandish goods. Initially, the exhibition did not arouse enthusiasm among the residents, but the example of the queen, who visited the exhibition as many as 5 times, turned out to be contagious. As Graham wrote, the Great Exhibition was successful not only from an emotional, professional, but also from a material point of view. It brought a profit of 185 thousand 437 pounds, thanks to which the lands closest to Hyde Park were bought up, and later museums were built on them: national history, scientific, Victoria and Albert, as well as the Royal Geographical Society, Albert Hall, the Imperial College of Science and technology - masterpieces from an architectural and educational point of view.[4]