The History of British India, Volume 1James Mill's three volume History of British India was published from 1817 to 1818 and became an immediate success. A friend of Jeremy Bentham and a follower of utilitarianism, Mill focuses more on historical processes than human interest. He uses extensive sources rather than first-hand experience to create, as his preface claims, an 'objective' yet 'critical' history, often making harsh judgements of the country and its people within the context of a wider theoretical framework. He also criticises the British involvement in India and the process of conquest, colonization, and administration, the intention being to encourage the reader to a greater understanding of historical processes, ideas, and institutions with a view to encouraging thorough reform. Volume 1 examines the history from first encounters of the British in India to the formation of the Honourable East India Company in 1708, with studies of the Hindu and Muslim people and religions. |
Contents
COMMENCEMENT OF THE BRITISH INTERCOURSE WITH INDIA AND THE CIRCUM | 1 |
From the Formation of the third Jointstock in 1632 till the Coalition of the Com | 40 |
From the Coalition between the Company and the Merchant Adventurers till | 55 |
From the Project of forming a new and rival Company till the Union of the | 69 |
OF THE HINDUS | 91 |
CHAPTER II | 106 |
The Form of Government | 122 |
The Laws | 173 |
CHAPTER V | 273 |
The Taxes | 287 |
Manners | 429 |
From the first Invasion of India by the Nations in the North till the Expulsion | 481 |
From the Commencement of the first Gaurian Dynasty to that of the second Gau | 496 |
From the Commencement of the second Gaurian Dynasty to the Commencement | 532 |
A Comparison of the State of Civilization among the Mahomedan Conquerors | 625 |
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