Do Indians still believe that they were rich before British misrule in India? Why?

印度人至今相信印度在英国殖民前十分富庶吗？为什么？

以下是Quora网友的评论：

Tan Teka

That’s because you consider wealth in different terms.

India had a massive amounts of Gold, which was needed to peg currencies.

India was rich in the idea that it had all these raw resources, which is how you get money and currency.

那是因为你们对财富的看法不同。

印度拥有大量的黄金，这是与货币挂钩所必需的东西。

印度当时确实很富有，因为印度拥有这些资源，这就是你们获得金钱和货币的方式。

Yes, the British acted like they found a fortress when they kicked out all others from India and then colonized India.

是的，当英国人把其他人赶出印度，开始殖民印度时，他们表现得就像找到了宝藏。

Vivek Narayan

Something that is not being addressed here: The British themselves were not rich before colonialism. Colonial wealth extraction, regardless of how it affected the colonized people, allowed the accumulation of enough capital in England to ultimately produce the industrial revolution. Money makes more money. Controlling capital allows further wealth accumulation, which enables further development of capital, in a positive feedback loop. The standard of living in Europe was very low like much of the rest of the world in the 17th and 18th centuries. Here’s a graph of the economic growth in England over time:

这里没有提到的一点是：在殖民之前，英国人自己并不富裕。英国不顾殖民地人民的死活，榨取各殖民地的财富，使得英国积累了充足的资本，最终促成了工业革命。钱能生钱。控制资本允许财富进一步积累，从而使资本进一步发展，形成了正向反馈循环。在17、18世纪，欧洲和世界其他地区一样，生活水平都很低。这是英国历史上经济增长图：

GDP per capita in England

Adjusted for inflation and measured in British Pounds in 2013 prices.

英国的人均GDP

数据经通胀调整，以2013年的英镑价格计算。

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gdp-per-capita-in-the-uk-since-1270

So, the answer to your loaded question is no, because there was nowhere in the world in which the common people (i.e. the “99%”) were rich before the colonial era. Most of the world lived in kingdoms and empires where the common people had very little power, or in smaller indigenous communities where there generally was not a huge amount of wealth overall.

所以，对你提出的问题，答案是否定的，因为在殖民时代之前，世界上没有哪个国家的普通百姓(人口的“99%”)是富有的。世界上绝大多数人要么生活在王国和帝国中，几乎没有任何权力，要么生活在小规模土著社区中，没有大量的财富。

Colonialism changed that (first through strategic colonial enclaves set up by western corporations like the BEIC in the 17th century, then larger-scale colonialism by the 18th and 19th centuries); it allowed the accumulation of capital by the west, the creation of the western middle class, and the advent of social reforms that continue to maintain the higher quality of living we see in the west today.

殖民 主义改变了这一点(首先是通过17世纪西方公司(如英国东印度公司)建立的战略殖民飞地，然后是18世纪和19世纪的大规模殖民 主义)；殖民*义帮助西方积累资本，创造了西方的中产阶级并促进了社会改革的到来，而改革维系了西方更高质量的生活。

This was no secret. The entire point of colonizing India, one of the richest lands in the world, was to extract wealth. India was the “jewel” in the British monarchy’s crown, as they say. This is the reason why the rest of Europe engaged in the “Scramble for Africa” in the 19th century - the rest of Europe was poor compared to England by that point and they realized that the only way to grow their empires was to imitate England and extract wealth from richer lands.

这并非什么秘密。印度是世界上最富饶的土地之一，殖民印度的目的就是榨取财富。正如他们所说，印度是英国君主制皇冠上的“宝石”。这就是为什么欧洲其他国家都在19世纪参与了“争夺非洲”的原因——和英国相比，欧洲其他国家当时很穷，但他们意识到发展帝国的唯一途径就是效仿英国，从更为富庶的土地上榨取财富。

“Misrule” is the wrong word. The goal was not to “rule”, as most historians could tell you. The goal was wealth extraction, and they did achieve this. You can see in all former non-settler colonies today that the country as a whole (regardless of distribution or inequality within the country) is much poorer than the country that colonized it.

“暴 政”这个词不太恰当。正如大多数历史学家会告诉你的那样，英国的目标不是“统治”。他们的目的就是榨取财富，他们也确实做到了。你会发现，在所有前非驻领殖民地，一个国家整体而言(不考虑国内财富分配不平等的因素)要比殖民它的国家贫穷得多。

The hypothesis that colonialism produced the *massive* inequality between the Global North and Global South that we see today is the only hypothesis that is supported by evidence *and* fully explains the patterning of wealth throughout the world. (I don’t have the space here to list the countless examples of this, but for example look at the one Southeast Asian country that was never colonized by Europe (Thailand) and compare its GDP to the rest of Southeast Asia; you will see the huge difference.) Colonialism was the economic tool that developed the colonial powers, while kee colonized nations in a state of un-development. In the post-colonial era (which we are only a few decades into), trade agreements and economic policies continue to support the global inequality.

殖民*义导致了如今全球南北半球之间的“巨大”不平等，这是唯一有证据支持的猜测，充分解释了世界各国的财富格局(由于篇幅所限，我无法列完所有例证，简单举一个例子吧，看一看从未被欧洲殖民过的东南亚国家(泰国)吧，把泰国的GDP和东南亚其他国家对比一下，你就能看到巨大的差异。殖民 主义是壮大殖民大国的经济工具，同时会使被殖民国家经济停滞、无法发展。在后殖民时代(我们几十年前才刚刚进入这个时代)，贸易协定和经济政策继续助长了全球不平等。

Samir Das

If India was so wealthy and powerful then how British could rule India? Wealth and power comes from smartness, so how a smart amd progressive country became british colony.... I doubt all these facts.. Indian people were not rich rather the kings treasury was rich.. Go to europe or america, you could see cities build 200-300 years ago and people staying in those houses and cities till now. Imagine India 200 yrs ago. U could only find monuments and heritage of 200years old not any house or building....

如果印度真的那么富裕强大，英国人怎么可能统治得了印度？财富和实力源于聪明，一个聪明、进步的国家怎么会沦为英国殖民地....我对此深表怀疑。当时的印度人并不富有，只有国王拥有充盈的国库…你在欧洲或美国可以看到200-300年前建造的城市，那些建筑和城市依然沿用至今。想象一下200年前的印度。你只能看到200年前的纪念碑和文物，看不到200年前的房屋或建筑....

Australia, America, New Zealand, southAfrica were also british colonies. Why they were not looted and made poor like India? There are 2 sides to every discussion and no side can be presented with 100% surety when we are talking about history.. Who calculated GDP in 1700s, if india hold 25% of world GDP then what was the 100%? Before British, Mughal was ruling India. How India became rich under mughals who had such negetive image in Indian history? Yes Mughal king were rich if they can build a monument like Taj Mahal in memory of his loving wife.

澳大利亚、美国、新西兰、南非也都曾是英国的殖民地。为什么他们没有像印度那样被洗劫、陷入贫困？凡是都有两面性，当我们谈论历史时，没有哪个方面是可以100%断定的。谁在18世纪计算过GDP，如果印度占到世界GDP的25%，那100%有多少呢？在英国人到来之前，印度处在莫卧儿王朝统治下。在历史上口碑不佳的莫卧儿王朝统治下，印度怎么可能富裕呢？没错，莫卧儿国王能建造泰姬陵这样的纪念碑来纪念他心爱的妻子，他确实很富有。

Somak Chatterjee

Boss, read the true history before speaking

Economic loss :-

India’s GDP before the British came : 27% of World GDP in 1700.

India’s GDP when British left India in 1947: 3% of World GDP.

大佬啊，说话之前先看看真实的历史吧

经济损失：

英国殖民之前印度的GDP：1700年，印度GDP占世界GDP总额的27%。

1947年英国离开印度时，印度的GDP占世界GDP总额的3%。

When British left us in 1947 our literary rate was 12% today 74% and still increasing. Our life expectancy was 27 and today 70 and still increasing. 90% live below poverty line when British left us in 1947 and today 2.9%. It's far better than 90%. In 2025 poverty will be vanished from India.

1947年英国人离开印度时，识字率仅为12%，如今达到74%并继续增长。我们的预期寿命从之前的27岁提高到现在的70岁，并继续提高。英国1947年离开印度时，90%的印度人生活在贫困线以下，而今天只有2.9%。这个成果已经比90%要好得多了。到2025年，贫困现象将彻底从印度消失。

We have long way to go but today's situation is far far better than in 1947. 90% poverty, 12% literacy and 27 life expectancy in 1947 when British left us....can you imagine this?? Nowadays situation is far better no doubt but we have still long way to go. And people talk about why there's so much poverty. One thing I want to tell them that if you don't know past then you can't understand present. I don't blame those people but their government is hiding colonial history and that's the main problem because they don't know the real reason behind our poverty. If they know it then they don't ask those questions.

我们还有很长的路要走，但现在的情况已经比1947年好太多了。1947年英国人离开印度时，90%的贫困人口，12%的识字率和27岁的预期寿命....你敢想象吗？毫无疑问，现在的情况好多了，但我们还有很长的路要走。人们总问为什么会有这么多的贫困人口。我想跟他们说一件事，如果你不了解历史，就无法理解现在。我不会责备那些人，但他们的政府隐瞒了殖民历史，这就是问题所在。他们并不知道印度贫困背后的真正原因。如果他们知道，他们就不会提出这些问题了。

India lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, says United Nations

India may get rid of extreme poverty by 2030, under 3% to remain poor by 2020: Report (India may get rid of extreme poverty by 2030, under 3% to remain poor by 2020: Report)

India’s pulled at least 170 million people out of poverty since 1990 (India’s pulled at least 170 million people out of poverty since 1990)

British Raj siphoned out $45 trillion from India: Utsa Patnaik (British Raj siphoned out $45 trillion from India: Utsa Patnaik)

World Poverty Clock (World Poverty Clock)

联合国称，在2006年至2016年期间，印度成功帮助2.71亿人摆脱了贫困

报道：印度有望在2030年前摆脱极端贫困，到2020年贫困人口降至3%以下。

自1990年以来，印度至少帮助1.7亿人摆脱了贫困

英国从印度榨取了45万亿美元

世界贫困时钟

Siva Kanagaraj

No. We are richer today than we were in 18th century. India’s population from 1701 through 1800 AD were just 10 crores. We are almost 140 crores today. India could not have provided food/medicine for 140 crores of population during those days.

不。现在的印度比18世纪的印度更加富有。1701年至1800年年间，印度只有1亿人口。今天我们的人口逼近14亿大关。当时的印度不可能为14亿人口提供食物和药品。

We including entire Africa were invaded by almost every European country during 18th century not because India and Africa were rich, rather entire Europe was poor. Europe needed products and man power from these countries so that they can build their nations in all aspect.

We are comparing today’s India vs today’s European nations. We grew little but they grew monsters. Africa never grew.

在18世纪，印度和整个非洲都被几乎所有欧洲国家入侵过，但原因不在于印度和非洲很富裕，而在于整个欧洲都很贫穷。欧洲需要这些国家的产品和人力，这样他们才能建设自己的国家。

我们现在比较今天的印度和今天的欧洲国家。我们发展缓慢，他们却成了经济强国，而非洲更是停滞不前。

Renny Koshy

Before Britishers arrived in India there are 678 states in India .India may be rich but of no use .Anybody can invade India.

在英国人殖民印度之前，印度有678个邦。印度也许是很富有，但没有用。任何人都可以入侵印度。

Gurpreet Singh

India was rich before British rule but Indians were never rich. Indians have always been harassed and made slaves by their rulers throughout the history.

在英国统治之前，印度很富裕，但印度人从来都不富裕。历史上，印度人一直受到统治者的骚扰和奴役。

Pratik Nair

For your kind information, you can check out and find out if you read the "economic history of the world" that India had the largest portion of GDP from the time written history is available and china was closely behind.

Only in 16th century or so we lost the first position to china but regained it again in 17th century. Our GDP as a percentage of world GDP was consistently above 30% or so.

Only after the british came. the downslide started and by the time they left, India was nowhere in terms of GDP.

如果你读过“世界经济史”，你可以查找一下，从有文字记载的历史来看，印度的GDP占比最大，中国紧随其后。

我们只在16世纪左右把第一名让给过中国，但在17世纪又重新夺回了第一名的位置。我们的GDP占世界GDP总额的比例一直在30%以上。

英国人来了之后，印度才开始衰退，等英国人离开印度的时候，印度的GDP已经几乎可以忽略不计了。