History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 38

History - Essay Example Although the presence of the British in Indian subcontinent was not as significant as in other possessions of the Crown, the British succeeded to rule two-thirds of India directly while the rest of British India comprised the semi-autonomous Princely States. Furthermore the Mistress of the Seas utilized successfully â€Å"Divide and Rule† principle in India as a means of precluding the natives form uprising against the puppet Raj rule. British policies in India resulted in numerous crop-failures and famines killing over 10 million of people In this atmosphere of Muslim-Hindu hostility first step towards independence of India and western-fashioned democracy was taken with the designation of councilors of Indian descend to assist the viceroy, and with the creation of made up of Indians provincial councils. From 1920 such leaders as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi initiated extremely popular mass movement to strive against the Raj regime, using predominantly non-violent, peaceful methods. There were however several leaders which adopted belligerent approach. The strong impact Mohandas Gandhi had on India as well his ability to obtain independence through entirely peaceful, non-violent movement made him followed by example. He suggested Indians to wear minimum of home-made clothes to undermine the British textile manufacture. He also orchestrated the idea of the march to the sea, where the protesters were making the salt of their own protesting against the British monopoly. Indians awarded their spiritual leader with the name Mahatma that stands for Great Soul Although there were other movements striving for Indian independence from the Crown it was Gandhian non-violent movement that played the crucial role in achieving Indian freedom in 1947. Having at last obtained independence Indians were saved form fratricidal war. (Heehs 1998) Unlike India Russia has not succeeded to change her political order without violence. However Russians overthrew despotic stardom that