Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/799

 INDIA

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INDIA

suffering in dealing with disturbance is in India sure to be taken as a sign of weakness, and hasty endeavours to pacify the people by partially acceding to their demands will only be interpreted as indications of fear, and an encouragement to further agitation. A firm determination, on the part of Government, not even to entertain any idea of concession till all signs of disorder have permanently disappeared, would prob- ably be more effectual than any other measure.

It does not come within the scope of this article to discuss the political situation. Our only concern here is to dispel certain false or exaggerated notions as to the relations between Government and people. There does not, it is true, exist in India much positive patriotism in favour of British rule; but at the same time neither does there exist anything like a deep or widespread spnntaneotis indignation. The mass of the people usually confine their interest to the narrow horizon of their own personal wants. They find that contact with Europeans brinijs a great increase to their revenues; and in fact there is a danger of whole classes being spoiled by the lavishness with which, compared vdth former times, they are remunerated for their services. It is quite certain that the people prefer to deal with European rather than with native officials. On the whole, Government is considerate in remitting or reducing taxation as soon as scarcity is felt. A considerable grievance has been removed or greatly diminished by the reduction of the salt tax, but a minor grievance remains regarding the toddy tax (native palm-tree liquor). It is true that pref- erential treatment in favour of British trade has done much to destroy the older native industries; but this has been amply compensated for by the increased facilities of obtaining articles of comfort and con- venience, as also in the employment given to natives in government posts, office work, public works, in- dustries, outlets for produce, etc. \o one will deny that detailed improvements in administration are possible and desirable ; but the grievances which exist, while affording matter for constitutional representa- tion, are not sufficient to jusify any real disaffection, still less resort to violent measures.

The really serious evils of India as felt by the masses are three in number. The first is the artificial crea- tion of famines. The constant recurrence of famine in India is not due to local scarcity of food; for it is notorious that there is always in the country at large plenty of grain for the people, and abundance to spare — a fact proved by the undiminished exporta- tion which goes on all the time. The cause of famine is due simply to the combination of the native grain- dealers, who buy up the supplies and establish famine- prices as soon as the first sign of scarcity is observed. All other explanations of famine in India are either false, or inadequate and negligible. Government expedients of famine relief-works and free distribution of food are neither adequate nor radical. The proper and effectual remedy would be for Government to make laws keeping the prices down and forcing the merchants to sell at those prices. This, however, Government will not do, on the plea of not interfering with freedom of trade — thus losing sight of the duty of the State to protect particular classes of the pop- ulation from what is equivalently gross oppression. The .second evil is the extraordinary usury practised by the native Marwaris or money lenders, who have the people at their mercy in times of stress, and who carry on their business in such a way that getting into their hands usually means total ruin. The ne- cessity of borrowing small sums of money being recognized, the only remedy would be for Govern- ment either to provide some means of meeting this need on moderate terms, or else to legislate in some effectual manner for the restraint of the professional money lenders — a matter easy to theorize about but difficult to achieve. The third evil in India is petty

tyranny, extortion, and corruption on the part of sub- ordinate native officials. Such a charge can only be proved in detailed cases, but its widespread existence seems to be universally admitted and complained of. And as such acts are done under cover of authority, the blame of them is popularly attributed to the British Government, which in truth is utterly inca- pable of coping with the evil. With the removal or diminution of these three evils, and a few adjust- ments of taxation in view of local circumstances, India would be a most prosperous and happy country as far as good government can make it one.

These remarks, Ixised on six years' careful observa- tion in the country itself, ought to put writers outside India on their guard against the monstrous misrepre- sentations which are so frequently circulated in the press.

Education. — In India there are five universities,

VlSW.\KAMA. OR ViSHVAKARMA. CavE, EllORA, IndIA

Specimen of Buddhist Cave Temple — probably end of VII century of the Christian Era

namely, those of Calcutta, Madras, Bombay , Allahabad, and the Punjab. They are all organized on the ex- amining-body system, having affiliated to them a large number of teaching colleges, some of which are worked by Government, some by missionary bodies, etc. Be- low these come nimierous high-schools, middle schools, primary-schools, and technical schools of various kinds, to a total of over 160,000. Of those institutions 27,220 are public, 73,192 aided, and 60,057 private and unaided. According to the census of 1901 the statis- tics of literacy run as follows: —

Males Females

ABLE TO READ AND WRITE

14,690,080 996,341

UNABLE TO READ AND WRITE

134,752,026 142,976,459

15,686,421 277,728,485 293,414,906*

149,442,106 143,972,800


 * Add unspecified 946,159.

It should be noted that immense progress has taken place since then; but even now it is estimated that only 25.3 per cent of the boys and 3.4 per cent of the girls of school-going age attend school.

Religious Historv. — Mention has already been made of the Aryan tribes which immigrated into India many centuries before Christ. It was during their so- journ in the Punjab that the first sacred hymns were composed (the Rig Veda) While pushing eastwards and southwards, the first beginnings of the caste sys- tem were formed and the rest of the sacred books written (see Vedas). Their religion, which had in the