Sekhar Bandyopadhyay

From Plassey to Partition

1. IDEA 1

   History is a field of debate

   Bandyopadhyay presents modern Indian history as a set of debates among historians. He introduces nationalist, Marxist, Cambridge school and Subaltern approaches, showing how each sees colonial India differently. Readers are invited to weigh the arguments.

2. IDEA 2

   The eighteenth century wasn't only decline

   Bandyopadhyay discusses debates on whether the eighteenth century was a dark age after Mughal decline. Many historians now see strong regional states and economic activity continuing during this period. The picture is more mixed than once believed.

3. IDEA 3

   Colonial rule transformed the economy

   Bandyopadhyay examines how British rule changed land revenue, trade and industry. He discusses arguments about the drain of wealth and deindustrialisation, while noting where historians disagree. The economic record is still debated.

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