11-18-2006, 12:16 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-k.ram+Nov 18 2006, 10:25 AM-->QUOTE(k.ram @ Nov 18 2006, 10:25 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo--> Now that I understand what "modern" is, I must say, IMO, this is pre-modern intellectual exercise when western colonial dialectic was exported to natives, to legitimize colonialism.. what next? British saved India from Indians, civilized us for 150 years and handed over the country to the coconuts, who go on to spin old theories of benevolent imperialism and colonialism.. Marx too agreed with this notion - bringing progress and civilization dispelling superstition and ignorance and nonsense. Sorry, aint no big fan or follower of "culture of colonialism". Guess, that is not being modern, heck, so be it.
[right][snapback]60974[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok...so please tell me what you consider as modern. And please read what i have to say in its entirety. Kindly dont just focus on a few words or phrases.
Secondly I want to clarify, <b>I consider the British not as benevolent fathers</b>, when I said that we need to be thank them, it was rather in a humorous vein. We need not be grateful for the British, they tried to divide us, not unite. <b>They did what was in their self interest </b>and if you go thru what I have written, thats what I've said. I'm no zombie to take Britishers side.
Let me put it this way, with the political conditions of the eighteenth century, it would have been unimaginable that some colonial power would not have taken political control over India. If not the British, maybe the French would have colonised us. Even if it were not wholesale colonization, we would still have been under some form of strong influence of one of these powers.
One of the posts said, that the British exploited us and we need not be grateful for them for anything. I completely accept what you say. But it would be naive to think that had not the British colonized us and exploited us, we would have been well off or that but for the British, we would still have been "Sone ki chidiya". What I want to say is simply this, if it were not the British, it would have been someone else. Ok so you will say, if nobody colonized us we would have been well off. We'll consider that possibility also.
In the last post I considered a scenario, where assuming no British, French presence in the eighteenth century, what would have happened in the 18th century and thereafter. Lets take it one step further. Lets assume that even in the 19th or 20th century nobody could colonize us, what would have happened. Lets say we would have been fortunate to get away with only mild colonial influence. Even these are possible. Lets say if Napolean would have sustained himself and maintained stranglehold over entire Europe, then English would have been more preoccupied with him and the French also would have been kept busy in the Continent, with the English being en everpresent threat. It is possible, though it is something that would have been beyond Indian control. Now how would India of today be different if this were the scenario. I have my own ideas. But I would like to first hear your inputs and then maybe we can discuss further.
[right][snapback]60974[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok...so please tell me what you consider as modern. And please read what i have to say in its entirety. Kindly dont just focus on a few words or phrases.
Secondly I want to clarify, <b>I consider the British not as benevolent fathers</b>, when I said that we need to be thank them, it was rather in a humorous vein. We need not be grateful for the British, they tried to divide us, not unite. <b>They did what was in their self interest </b>and if you go thru what I have written, thats what I've said. I'm no zombie to take Britishers side.
Let me put it this way, with the political conditions of the eighteenth century, it would have been unimaginable that some colonial power would not have taken political control over India. If not the British, maybe the French would have colonised us. Even if it were not wholesale colonization, we would still have been under some form of strong influence of one of these powers.
One of the posts said, that the British exploited us and we need not be grateful for them for anything. I completely accept what you say. But it would be naive to think that had not the British colonized us and exploited us, we would have been well off or that but for the British, we would still have been "Sone ki chidiya". What I want to say is simply this, if it were not the British, it would have been someone else. Ok so you will say, if nobody colonized us we would have been well off. We'll consider that possibility also.
In the last post I considered a scenario, where assuming no British, French presence in the eighteenth century, what would have happened in the 18th century and thereafter. Lets take it one step further. Lets assume that even in the 19th or 20th century nobody could colonize us, what would have happened. Lets say we would have been fortunate to get away with only mild colonial influence. Even these are possible. Lets say if Napolean would have sustained himself and maintained stranglehold over entire Europe, then English would have been more preoccupied with him and the French also would have been kept busy in the Continent, with the English being en everpresent threat. It is possible, though it is something that would have been beyond Indian control. Now how would India of today be different if this were the scenario. I have my own ideas. But I would like to first hear your inputs and then maybe we can discuss further.