Clearing the dust off Macaulay’s “famous quote”
Many of you must have come across this “famous quote” of Macaulay in which he appears to be praising the wealth, cultural and spiritual heritage of India:
“I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.”
Some of you may have also tried to locate the original source of this quote - a search that most likely ended in frustration.
I had my doubts about the quote ever since I first read it and I also wrote about this once before -specifically mentioning that the accuracy of the quote was questionable and it needed further verification.
A few days ago, Anirban forwarded me this email by Michel Danino which suggests that my doubts were correct and the quote is actually fiction. Read on:
***** Excerpts from Michel Danino’s email *****
“Respected friends,
Permit me to point out that this quotation of Lord Macaulay is a spurious one, faked in recent years and massively circulated on the Internet (even Dr Abdul Kalam put it on his presidential website at some point).
The quotation is a fake one because:
- No one has been able to give a proper reference for it, pointing to an original source of Macaulay’s speeches or writings.
- Macaulay was not in England on the purported date of this “speech in Parliament” but in India.
- In fact the date (2 February 1835) is the date of his famous Minute, which was aimed at convincing the colonial authorities that English education was the ideal for India, and not an education in Indian languages as a group of Orientalists (including Prinsep) wanted. I attach the Minute’s full text.
- The very text of the alleged quote could never have been written by Macaulay. “India’s spiritual and cultural heritage” is a phrase he would never have used: he denied the very existence — or at least value — of such a heritage, as his Minute makes clear again and again. Nor would he have acknowledged Indians’ “caliber” or spoken of India’s “old and ancient education system” (were it only for the bad English of the last phrase).
- Finally, the question of “ever conquering this country” had no meaning in 1835, when Britain was in nearly full control of the subcontinent.
The alleged quotation is a poor fabrication. Please do not circulate it without due warning. On the other hand, it would be worthwhile to study Macaulay’s Minute and to generate a debate on what India has done in the 60 years of her independence to reform her educational system.”
***** End *****
Michel added that:
“Macaulay had no intention whatsoever to “break the very backbone of India”, but was convinced that Indians (both Hindus & Muslims) were steeped in hopeless superstition, and that English education was the only way to bring them out of this dark stagnation. That was the usual colonial conceit, but he sincerely wanted to help Indians (which goes to show that sincerity is good only if enlightened !)”
Thanks a lot Michel, for setting the record straight.
Related post: The importance of accurate referencing
The false quatation of Macauley came originally from N.S.Rajaram, who is an infamous fraud. Macauley never wrote that. The minutes of the lectures and speach of Macauley is available in the Internet, one can verify ( http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00generallinks/macaulay/txt_minute_education_1835.html ).
However Hindutva people continue to quote this false quotation of Macauley to prove that India was a very prosperous country full of schools everywhere during the rule of the East India company.
Comment by Anrban Sen | February 17, 2008
Anrban: Thanks for your comment.
I would just like to make one point. It is very likely that the socio-economic condition of India before, and during the early days of British rule was a lot better than what it was by the turn of the 20th centurty.
See this links for some further reading on this subject:
The “truth” about a “benevolent Empire”
India in the 1820s…
Loot - in search of East India Co. (excerpts)
and
Economic Exploitation and the Drain of Wealth during British “Raj”
Comment by B Shantanu | February 17, 2008
Anirban Sen:
1. By name, you are a Bengali speaking Bharatiya. If you are younger than 35 years, you are born and brought up in a virus infected environment called communist environment. Even you are older than 35, most Bengalis are spoiled by the deadly virus called Communism (which teaches Self-hatredness). You are no exception (as your language shows it).
2. If NS Rajaram is an infamous fraud, what about Swami Vivekananda? Do you call him another infamous fraud? Swami Vivekananda deplored the malicious propaganda that had been unleashed by the Christian missionaries in India (Macauley was one; he was son of a Christian missionary). Did you every study Swami Vivekananda? If not, study Him. You will get enlightenment (and liberate you from communism virus infection).
3. OK, as per your opinion, Hindutva people wrongly following and saying this quotation is correct. Now my question to you: Could you please prove this quotation is WRONG? Nor anyone out there, to prove thiat quotation is wrong? NS Rajaram didn’t invented that quotation, it is there over last one hundred years writings. First do home work, before putting bad words on others.
4. To me, neither you nor me can prove its right or wrong. But, surely history will prove its truthness (even it is bitter to your or my taste). We, if observe independenly, can only imagine the cunningness of British (and christian missionary) mind. And truth will prevail, Satyameva Jayate nanrittam.
5. Read this artcle, publihsed in 1953.
The Background of Macaulay’s Minute
Elmer H. Cutts
The American Historical Review, Vol. 58, No. 4. (Jul., 1953), pp. 824-853.
6. About economic history: Did you every study Economic History of India, pre-British Economic History and post-British economic History? If not, be silent and not try to show you are a sarvagya (all-knowing personality). First do homework, before writing on important issues like economic history of India.
7. Read here: British deindustrialised India in 18th and 19th century. While India produced about 25 percent of world industrial output in 1750, this figure had fallen to only 2 percent by 1900.
Between 1750 and 1938, India’s world manufacturing output share dropped from 24.5 percentage points in 1750 to 2.4 percent 1938. Corresponding drops for China was from 32.8 percent to 3.1 percent (1750 to 1938).
World Manufacturing Output 1750-1938
(in percent)
Year =India, China
1750 =24.5, 32.8
1800= 19.7, 33.3
1830 =17.6, 29.8
1880= 2.8, 12.5
1913= 1.4, 3.6
1938= 2.4, 3.1
Source: Simmons 1985, Table 1, p. 600, based on Bairoch 1982, Tables 10 and 13, pp.296 and 304.
Note: India refers to the entire subcontinent.
Bharat
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Comment by Bharat | February 19, 2008
“Between 1750 and 1938, India’s world manufacturing output share dropped from 24.5 percentage points in 1750 to 2.4 percent 1938. Corresponding drops for China was from 32.8 percent to 3.1 percent (1750 to 1938).”
Ummmmmm ……… I wonder if that could have had anything to do with Industrialisation in Europe, besides the colonisation of India? The industrialisation suddenly turned world economies on its head, like globalisation is doing today, again.
Sometimes, the effect that you observe can have many causes, and we do ourselves an injustice if we refuse to explore all of them.
Comment by Patriot | February 19, 2008
This is N.S. Rajaram. I don’t believe I have ever used the Macaulay quote: “I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief…”
On the other hand I have on several occasions used the quote beginning with: “Our English schools are flourishing wonderfully… if our plans of education are followed up, there will not be a single idolator among the respectable classes in Bengal thirty years hence…”
On page 105 of my book THE POLITICS OF HISTORY (footnote), I cite the reference MACAULAY, THE SHAPING OF THE HISTORIAN, pages 412-13.
I hope this clears up the ‘confusion,’ which is not of my making.
N.S. Rajaram
Comment by N.S. Rajaram | May 26, 2008
Dear Rajaram-ji: Thanks a lot for your comment and for clearing the confusion.
I am glad to set the record straight.
Please accept my apologies for inadvertantly hurting your feelings and reputation.
Shantanu
Comment by B Shantanu | May 26, 2008
Hello, this is N.S. Rajaram again. Please see the January-March 2008 issue of DIALOGUE, a public affairs magazine from New Delhi edited by B.B. Kumar. The issue focus is “India’s encounter with the West.” I draw attention in particular to the article: “British Raj in India: Myths and Relaities ” by B.B. Kumar. It has some interesting details.
There are other useful article by Lokesh Chandra, David Frawley, myself and others looking at different aspects of the encounter.
Although I have never used it, I am not prepared to dismiss the well-known Macaulay quote as spurious. I find it difficult to believe that a recent fabrication would gain such widespread acceptance in such a short time. It might be inaccurate but I doubt that a recent worker fabricated the whole thing.
Even if Macaulay was not in England at the time, someone else might have read his speech in the Parliament. Or it might have been scheduled on that day but delivered on a different day, but recorded as February 2. So it is worth tracing it to the source– even if it is spurious.
I would request Mr. Anirban Sen to use a more dignified tone in exchanges. It means nothing to me, for I don’t need a certificate from him, but reflects poorly on your blog.
Sincere regards,
N.S. Rajaram
Comment by N.S. Rajaram | June 24, 2008
Dear Sir,
I hope you would go throught the latest issue of the Business India Magazine, the cover being that of the Ranbaxy MD.
In it, a totally livid non “Hindutva” columnist has highlighted the fact that India was EXTREMELY PROSPEROUS BEFORE THE BRITISH RULE!!
Page 8. Issue dated June 29, 2008.
Regards,
vck
Comment by v.c.krishnan | June 24, 2008
Dear Shri Rajaram: Thank you for alerting me to the magazine. Is it available online?
As for your views on Macaulay’s quote, it might well be inaccurate (or distorted) rather than a fabrication…
The key issue (I think) is that given Macaulay’s views about India (and Indians), it is hard to believe that he would have said anything like that…
Having said that, I completely agree with you: “it is worth tracing it to the source– even if it is spurious.”
Thanks also for alerting me to the tone (and content) of Anrban’s comment…I realise that I should have moderated it and requested Anrbna to refrain from sweeping accusations of fraud…
I apologise for the hurt that this may have caused you and the damage to your reputation.
Rest assured, I will do my best that this is not repeated…
Thanks
***
@ vck: Thanks. Will have a look at the issue.
Comment by B Shantanu | June 25, 2008
1. There are some creatures in this planet, their behaviour is like todays Islamist Jihadis, Hit and Run, Blasts and Hide. By that time, damage has been done. These creatures are called Character Assassinators.
2. There are another group of creatures, they see right in wrong, sat in asat, honesty in dishonesty, truth in untruth, peace in violence, love in hate, and so on. Their armament is full of weapons of mass-destructions, that is, indecent, vulger, intimidating vocabularies. They used them as Brahmastras (Divine weapons) to bombard others, without realising they have turned themselves into self (suicide) bombers.
As Bhagavan Buddha said, “A fool who knows his foolishness is wise atleast to that extent, but a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.”
3. At the end: “What you speak, what you are. Words will measure the character and quality.”
Bharat
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Comment by Bharat | June 25, 2008