The Partition of India in 1947: British Role and Impact (History 130)

This essay delves into the historical context of the 1947 partition of India, analyzing the multifaceted factors that contributed to this pivotal event. The paper meticulously examines the role played by the British government, exploring their strategies of 'divide and rule' and their impact on the political landscape. It discusses the complex interplay between the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and key figures like Jinnah, highlighting the religious and political tensions that escalated during this period. The essay assesses the consequences of the partition, including the displacement of millions, communal violence, and the enduring legacy of suspicion between India and Pakistan. Furthermore, it evaluates differing historical perspectives on whether the partition was an inevitable outcome or a consequence of specific British policies and actions, providing a critical analysis of the events and their long-term implications on the region.

Running Head: HISTORY
History
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Introduction
The aim of the research paper is to conduct a discussion and an evaluation of the
factors that has affected the scenario of the partition of India in the year 1947 and the role that
has been played by the British in managing the same. The paper would indulge in a
discussion of the process that the country had to go through in order to attain its long due
independence and the role that had been played by the British in preventing the nation from
attaining the same. The history of partition of India in the year 1947 has been a result of a
series of event that had voluntarily or the involuntarily involved the British in giving it the
shape that it had attained in the due course. As such, the paper would like to discuss the event
of the partition and the role that had been played British management in giving its shape.
Background
The partition of Bengal had been attained in the year 1947 where the partition had
happened between the two states that had been dominionatimg in the concerned time. The
union of India and Pakistan had participated in the process of the partition. The union of India
has come to be known as the Republic of India. The dominion of Pakistan cam to be known
as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its counterpart in the east of the India in the name of
the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. In the process of partition, two province that went
through the division, the province of Bengal and that of the Punjab. The basis of the division
was solely made on the line of religion. The majorities of the muslim as well as the non
muslim population came to be the marker of the partition. The result of the partition was
noted in the British province of India that underwent a dissolution in the year 1947 (Sanyal
2014).
The resultant outcome of the partition was noted in the crisis and the refugee problem
as more than 10-12 milion people had been displaced along the line of the religion. The crisis

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was also of the resources and the resultant outcome that was noted in the violence had
resulted in the loss of a huge numbers of lives in the dispute. The resultant outcome of the
partition can be felt in the current time as both the countries of India and Pakistan still
continue to nurture a sense of suspicion between the two rival nation (Bhattacharya 2014).
Discussion
Considering the cost the partition and the due process had to pay, the debate continues
whether partition had succeeded in achieving what it had aimed at. The never ending rivalry
along with the displaced status and the death of wide number of population had resulted in
the death of huge number of people. Many historians are of the opinion that the partition had
been able to achieve that which otherwise would have resulted in the civil war between the
nation. However, the trauma that had resulted from the partition continue to impact a wide
section of the society (Chhabra 2016).
In order to sum up the implication of the British administration in worsening the
situation was in increasing the violence in the communal violence. It has there been doubted
whether the political demand made by the two rival and the religiously segregated group had
been catered with care. The critics also pose the view that the partition was not a resultant
outcome of the communal differences that existed between the religiously segregated
community. The believe was that the possibility of the partition was so well rooted in the
ideological aspect of the majority and the minority religious community in both the province
that it had become substantially easier for the British to execute their divide and rule policy.
The critics are also of the opinion that the partition is not a resultant outcome of the dominion
of the British Rule rather there are many other factors that has contributed to it (Kamble &
Dhavaleshwar 2014).

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Irrespective of the fact that the implication of the British’s divide and rule policy is
noted in the partition of the India. The British Government had played a pivotal role in the
conflict between the dividing forces. The divide and rule approach of the British was a part of
their political machinery and the diplomacy that they had invested in their imperialism
venture. The Britishers played a pivotal role in deciding the national level arrangements the
impact of which had been felt till the date (Bharadwaj and Quirolo).
However, the end of the 19th century had experienced a degradation in the dominion
over the nation they were ruling. It primarily happened because during that time te
administration had to deal with a number of pro-independence nationalist movement that was
taking shape in different part of India. The participation of the Congress in the nationalist
movement and the demand of their to increase the local participation in the local government.
In the side of the Muslims, congress played a pivotal role creating a fear of the Hindu
dominion and they have failed to provide the agenda of the Muslim on a greater level.
Though the Muslim league had played a considerable role in the patronage of the state, the
capability of the Muslim was not noted in the representation that had been created of the
Muslim.
The implication of the creation of the separate electorates on the basis of the religion.
The resultant outcome was the division of the Pakistan in the year 1909. The decision that
have been taken in order to create a separate electorate reflected the understanding of the
British Province of the India under the British Rule. The intention was towards enhancing a
wider participation of the Muslim population. But the resultant outcome of the fact that the
relationship between the governing force had been bitered in its effectiveness.
The intention of Jinnah was not create a separate nation on the basis of the religion
differences but t o enhance the participation of the Muslim community in the decision making

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process of the country. As such the implication of the partition can be concluded on the
ground that partition had resulted out of the miscalculation on the part of the stakeholders.
There has been a contradiction in the way, the marginalization strategy had been taken
towards segregating the two different force of the Congress and the Muslim league in its
effectiveness. The British had executed a wider number of arrests of the leaders both in the
national as well as in the local level. The segregation had allowed the leaders of the Muslim
league to propagate the nation theory. The British had picked up the participation of the
Muslim in the process of the segregation. As the country was being drawn into the situation
of chaos and the civil war that the country was heading into. The British had taken an
advantage of the situation in order to put the conflicting elements against again each other
(Adeney 2016).
It had been done by the British primarily because the country was a greater source of
the revenue and the strategic foothold for the British empire. However, the implication of the
British was rooted in the fact that the empire had failed to control a larger section of the
territory that they used to rule initially. The withdrawal was initiated by the winning of the
labor party. There was a wider discontent in the country regarding the slowed down process
of the withdrawal of the British power. However, irrespective of the slowed down nature of
the withdrawal process there has been arguments regarding the slowed down nature of the
process whereby the possibility of diminishing the consequences that partition (Karodia
2014).
The period after the Quit India Movement had been utilized by the British to
marginalize the Congress and strengthen the position uphold by the Muslim League. The
readiness of the Muslim league and the people supporting Jinnah was readily adopted by the
britishers to separate the nation. The handover plan was being hurried on the part of the
british as they were not willing to participate in the process of the conflict and the warfare.

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Since they lacked the time to negotiate between the Muslim league and the national congress.
The arrangements that had been made in terms of the border were inadequate to prevent the
raising conflict between the conflicting bodies. The tragic outcome of the result was not
anticipated by any of the force who had participated in the process of participation. When the
arrival of the independence had been announced in the nation, 10 month prior to which it was
supposed to have happened, the nations that have been developed as a result of the partition
were left to deal with the partition and the tragic consequences that has been a part of the
process. The effect of the resultant outcome was noted in the anarchy that was raising in the
country as well as in the anarchy and the violence that was coming in the way of the country
(Svensson 2016).
Conclusion
Thus in order to conclude it can be stated that the participation of the British force in
the process of anarchy was a resultant outcome of the partition. The main motif of the British
Government behind instigating the partition was to implement their divide and rule policy.
They have very crucially involved in the process by taking the side of the Muslim and
instigating the conflict to utilize the willingness of Jinnah and his followers to separate the
country. The process of the partition was not anticipated neither was destined rather it can be
stated that the British utilized the tension that existed between the conflicting forces.
However, the acceleration in withdrawal process and the process of independence had left the
country to deal with the devastation that was impending on its way. The devastated nature of
the partition can be seen in the current situation of tension that has existed between the
countries. The religion tension between the parties in conflict had been enhanced by the
political agenda of the British power who had felt that the segregation would ease the process
of their rule.

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References
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Bharadwaj, Prashant, and Kevin Quirolo. "The Partition and Its Aftermath: Empirical
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Kamble, R., & Dhavaleshwar, C. U. (2014). Ambedkar’s Views on Indo-Pak Partition and
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