Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Introduction

• Before the 1830s, the Orientalists were in charge of the General Committee of Public Instruction (CGPI), established in 1823 to oversee education in Bengal.
• The CGPI had ten members, divided into two groups:
• The Orientalist group, led by H. T. Prinsep, supported Oriental literature.
• The Anglicist group, or English Party, advocated for English as the medium of instruction.
• The equal division made it hard for the committee to function smoothly.
• With Charles Trevelyan’s appointment, resistance to Orientalist policies grew, leading to conflicts over fund allocation.
• The committee often reached stalemates and had to refer disputes to the Governor General in Council.
• T. B. Macaulay, Trevelyan’s future brother-in-law, was brought in to resolve these stalemates.
• The debate involved comparing different viewpoints:
• Intellectual improvement of natives through Western knowledge (Macaulay) vs. traditional knowledge (Wilson).
• Patriarchal notions of what was best for natives.
• Economic considerations of printing books in English or Oriental languages.
• Perspective of liberty and access to superior knowledge.
• As a member of the Executive Council, Macaulay presented his Minute on educational policy on February 2, 1835, supporting the Anglicist view.
• Macaulay expressed disdain for Indian customs, claiming that European libraries outweighed native literature.
• He emphasized the utility and importance of the English language, linking it to access to vast intellectual wealth.
• Macaulay drew on examples from the European Renaissance and Russia to illustrate the benefits of knowledge diffusion and societal improvement.
• He aimed to create a class of “brown Englishmen” to serve in the Company’s administration.
• The Macaulay system focused on educating the upper classes in English, not the masses.
• Macaulay believed in the “infiltration theory”, where English-educated individuals would enrich vernacular languages and literature.
• This led to the development of vernacular languages alongside English education.

Macaulay's Arguments

• Macaulay's arguments were largely an extension of Trevelyan's ideas.
• He emphasized the need to use funds not only for 'reviving literature in India' but also for 'introducing and promoting knowledge of sciences'.
• He believed that the initiative for sciences was being neglected due to excessive focus on literature.
• He argued that the government's goal of 'intellectual improvement' for the natives could not be achieved through vernacular languages.
• Macaulay deemed the natives as 'barbarous, superstitious and irrational'.
• He considered vernacular languages to have little intrinsic value.
• Macaulay pointed out the impracticality of translating works into numerous dialects.
• He positioned English as the natural choice due to its 'ready access to vast intellectual wealth'.
• Macaulay challenged the Orientalist approach of seeking native cooperation through the teaching of Sanskrit and Arabic.
• He contended that natives were more interested in learning English.
• Macaulay cited the willingness of natives to pay for English education.
• He emphasized the economic value of Western learning in providing employment opportunities.
• In contrast, he noted that Sanskrit and Arabic lacked such practical benefits.
• Macaulay criticized the Orientalist policy for misleading students.
• He highlighted the case of Sanskrit college students who complained about the lack of job prospects.
• He concluded that English should be the language of knowledge dissemination.
• Macaulay advocated for the removal of scholarships for traditional languages.
• His vision was to create a class of intermediaries to bridge the gap between the British and the local population.
• He aimed to promote English knowledge, virtue and ideals.

H.H. Wilson's Counterargument to Macaulay

• Withdrawal of Funding: Wilson criticized the withdrawal of scholarships for colleges teaching native knowledge, viewing it as a breach of trust with Indians. He believed it undermined the goal of improving India intellectually, morally and religiously.
• Anglicist Assumption: Wilson rejected the idea that natives were uninterested in their own language. He pointed out that Macaulay's minute led to a petition from 8,000 Muslims advocating for the continuation of the Madrassa.
• Need for Stipends: Stipends were essential in India, where they were often the only means of livelihood for students. Wilson argued for their necessity, similar to practices in Britain.
• Language of Instruction: Wilson believed English was too foreign for effective knowledge transfer. He advocated for instruction in familiar forms, allowing learned natives to gradually appreciate Western culture and learning.
• Right to Demand Funding: Wilson contended that natives had the right to demand funding for studies they deemed important, as they were contributing revenue to the British.
• Cultural Adoption: He envisioned a scenario where able pundits and maulvis would integrate English with Sanskrit and Arabic, critiquing their own systems and promoting European knowledge. This approach would lead to profound changes, surpassing a mere understanding of the English language.
• Policy Adoption: A month after its circulation, Macaulay’s Minute became official policy when Governor General William Bentinck signed the resolution.
• Resolution of 7 March 1835: Accepted Macaulay's viewpoint that the Company's Government should promote European literature and sciences in English. All funds were to be spent for this purpose.
• Macaulay's Victory: This decision was a win for Macaulay against his opponents, particularly the Orientalists who favored instruction in Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian.
• Impact on English Education: Bentinck's resolution led to measures that accelerated English education in India.
• Freedom of Press Act (1825): Encouraged printing and publication of English books at low costs.
• Abolition of Persian: Persian was replaced by English and Indian languages as the language of record in courts, disappointing the Muslim community.
• Vernacular Development: The government made limited efforts to develop vernacular languages, leaving literature development to the needs of the local people.
• James Thomason's Efforts (1843-53): In the North West Provinces (modern U.P.), Thomason promoted village education in vernacular languages.
• Thomason abolished smaller English schools, confined English education to colleges, and taught subjects like mensuration and agricultural science in vernaculars.
• Department of Education: Established for the inspection and improvement of indigenous schools, aiming to train personnel for the new Revenue and Public Works Departments.