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Laddar... Railways and The Raj: How the Age of Steam Transformed Indiaav Christian Wolmar
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Gå med i LibraryThing för att få reda på om du skulle tycka om den här boken. Det finns inga diskussioner på LibraryThing om den här boken. A workmanly account of the birth and growth of the railway network in British India, with a precis of its development post-Independence. A short list of basic references is appended. Useful as an introduction to the subject, although it is somewhat matter-of-fact. The author is careful about the sensitivities of the ultra-nationalistic critics, for whom the railways are a symbol of western imperialism, wanton deprivation of the local economy, a drain on foreign exchange reserves through the guaranteed returns to British investors, racial discrimination in choosing personnel for the senior levels, and so on. The author gives kudos to the Indians for having taken over and maintained the system against great odds even after the hasty exit of the British at the time of independence. ( ) inga recensioner | lägg till en recension
"India was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. There were vast riches to be exploited and vast numbers of people to be subjugated. How better to achieve these aims than by building a rail network that facilitated the export of raw material and made it easier for troops to travel around the country to tackle uprisings? India joined the railway age late: the first line was not completed until 1853 but, by 1929, 41,000 miles of track served the country. However, the creation of this vast network was not intended to modernize India for the sake of its people but rather was a means for the colonial power to govern the huge country under its control, serving its British economic and military interests. By building India's railways, Britain radically changed the nation but also unwittingly created the preconditions of independence. While the railways benefitted India and were its first modern development, their construction ultimately contributed to a stirring of nationalist opinion, as resentment grew among the Indian population over the conditions they endured when travelling by train and the barring of Indians from the better paid railway jobs. Despite the dubious intentions behind the construction of the network, the Indian people quickly took to the railways, as the trains allowed them to travel easily for the first time. The Indian Railways network remains one of the largest in the world, serving over 25 million passengers each day. In this expertly told history, Christian Wolmar reveals the full story of India's railways, from its very beginnings to the present day, and examines the chequered role they have played in Indian history and the creation of today's modern state." --Publisher description. Inga biblioteksbeskrivningar kunde hittas. |
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Google Books — Laddar... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)385.0954Social sciences Commerce, Communications, Transportation Trains and Railroads Subdivisions History, geographic treatment, biography Asia Indian SubcontinentKlassifikation enligt LCBetygMedelbetyg:
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