Political Causes of Revolt of 1857- Immediate, Economic Causes Revolt of 1857

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 – Overview

The Revolt of 1857 is considered the most important event in the History of the Indian freedom struggle that spread throughout the country, mainly in parts of North and Central India. Several causes contribute to the revolt of 1857.

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 Notes

The constant economic exploitation, administrative innovations, and policy expansion of the East India Company added to the fire of revolt. They forcefully imposed the faith of the British on Indians. Common people were threatened with losing their religious sentiments.

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857

The primary political cause of Revolt of 1857 was the Direct Annexation Policy of the British. Along with this, Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India, introduced the Doctrine of Lapse and several other provisions between 1848-1856 to occupy various Indian territories. The major Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 are as follows:

• Most of the Zamindars, Nawabs, and Rajas were forced to become subsidiaries of the British government. Some of them were dispossessed from their respective states.
• They came up with certain policies to expand their rule over the Indian States.
• Other Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 were the policy of Misgovernance, the policy of direct subordination, the policy of war and annexation, the policy of indirect subordination, and the policy of Trade and Commerce were introduced to crush the Indian state.
• The newly launched policies significantly affected the rulers of the native states. In eight years (1848-1856), Lord Dalhousie annexed Bhagat, Jaipur, Nagpur, Jhansi, Sambalpur, and Satara. Thus, the rulers of these states were against British rule and actively participated in the Revolt of 1857.
• Some rulers maintained good terms with the British and collaborated with them to work under their control.

Immediate Cause of Revolt of 1857

The introduction of the new Enfield greased cartridge rifle for the sepoys of the East India Company became the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857, along with the other economic and Political Causes of Revolt of 1857.

• After the introduction of the new rifle, the sepoys have to bite off the tip of the cartridge before loading the rifle.
• It was said that the grease for those cartridges was made from the fats of pigs and cows. The use of pig meat or cow meat became objectionable to Muslims and Hindus.
• The Pig’s meat and flesh are prohibited by the Muslims, while Hindus consider cows sacred. The rumour of using the flesh and meat of pigs and cows became the immediate reason to ignite the fire of revolt against the East India Company.
• In 1857, in Barrackpre, Bengal, the first sign of unset appeared among Indians. Mangal Pandey, a sepoy, killed his senior officers in the parade on 29 March 1857 and started the revolt of 1857.

Economic Causes of Revolt of 1857

Apart from the Political Causes of Revolt of 1857, certain economic factors were responsible for the outbreak of the revolt.

• The exploitation of the country for funding the East India Company degraded the economic condition of India and affected a vital section of Indian Society. In 1765, They came up with the idea to grant the Diwani, because of which the revenue on land became a burden for them.
• They introduced the pocket area transformation that includes the introduction of the Ryotwari settlement in southern India, the Mahalwari settlement in Central India, and the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.
• All these settlements, particularly the Permanent settlement, proved to be significantly exploitative.
• The prospects of the Indian Peasantry were greatly ruined by the high land revenue. This encourages the peasants and farmers to fight for their rights and overthrow the British from their motherland.
• The peasants became extremely poor, and this drain of wealth compelled them to participate in the revolt of 1857 actively.

Impact of Revolt of 1857

The Revolt of 1857 was one of the major turning points in Indian history. It shook the foundation of the British East India Company. Indian people believed that they had the strength to fight for independence, and it resulted in changes in various government policies that ensured the rights of people were safe. The significant impact of the Revolt of 1857 was the Government of India Act of 1858 which started the British Raj.

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 UPSC

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 is a crucial part of the UPSC history syllabus, and it sheds light on the underlying factors that led to the Revolt of 1857 and its impact on India’s struggle for independence. By analyzing these causes, aspirants can gain a comprehensive understanding of the political dynamics of the period and their enduring legacy in shaping India’s freedom movement, which would help them during UPSC exam preparation.

Political Causes of Revolt of 1857 MCQs

Question: Which of the following was a significant political cause of the Revolt of 1857? a) Introduction of railways in India b) Policy of Doctrine of Lapse c) Establishment of the Indian National Congress d) Implementation of the Rowlatt Act

Answer: b) Policy of Doctrine of Lapse

Question: The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy that resulted in: a) Annexation of Indian states by the British b) Introduction of Indian Civil Services c) Establishment of the Indian Councils Act d) Formation of the Indian National Army

Answer: a) Annexation of Indian states by the British

Question: The introduction of the Enfield rifle during the Revolt of 1857 led to: a) Rise of the Indian National Congress b) Formation of the All India Muslim League c) Political reforms in the British administration d) Religious outrage among Indian sepoys

Answer: d) Religious outrage among Indian sepoys

UPSC Notes
Later Vedic Period	Digital Education
Dutch Colonies in India	Delimitation Commission
DRDO	102 Constitutional Amendment Act
Amrut Scheme	Social Movements in India
Non-Proliferation Treaty	Bardoli Satyagraha
Sarvodaya Movement	Black Money