Introduction
Colonial Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. Sri
Lanka was colonized by Portuguese (1505), Dutch (1638) and British (1796) because of its Natural and Geographical Lactation and climate and soil were well
suited to the plantation.[1] From
the 16th century, some coastal areas of the country were ruled by
the Portuguese, Dutch and British. After 1815 the entire nation was ruled by
the British colonialists until political independence was granted in 1948. (History of
Sri Lanks Towards Independence, 2008)As colony economic,
Sri Lanka was more affected by British colonialists than Portuguese and Dutch.[2] Most
of the actions that taken by colonialists in the colonial period to Sri Lanka such
as introduced plantation agriculture built railroads, reformed administration,
changed the educational system, etc. affected to the country as favorable and
unfavorable.
Plantation Agriculture
The British began experimenting with plantation
agriculture in the 1830s. Under that, different crops such as Coffee, Cinchona,
Tea, rubber was introduced into the highland time to time and was initially a
tremendous success that revolutionized the Sri Lanka economy, which was hitherto
based upon subsistence agriculture. Although, previously permission was granted
for farming of royal land, Under the British crown were sold to private owners.
Hence, land tenure also was changed. When introducing tea crops, Tamil people
were brought from south India in large numbers because the cost of Sri Lankan Tamil
peoples was high and there were not enough laborers in Sri Lanka. It was a
reason to best tea was grown. (Watkins)
Advantages
·
Generated
the new source of income by exporting plantation product.
·
Increased
the foreign direct investment inflows to Sri Lanka by foreign investors
invested their money in the plantation industry. (Bandarage, 1950) (Appendix A)
·
Expanded
The opportunities for trading Sri Lankan products in different foreign countries.
Especially Ceylon tea had become a staple of the British market bringing great
wealth to a small number of white tea planters. Crops such as tea, rubber, etc.
Still, bring wealth to Sri Lanka today. (History of Sri Lanks Towards
Independence, 2008)
·
A network
Of roads and railroads were built in the country to the success of the plantation. It
is still useful for the convenience of transportation and traveling. (Appendix B)
·
Plantation
agriculture continuously contribute to a considerable part of Sri Lanka Gross
Domestic Production, because of increased additional export earning sources.
(Appendix C)
Disadvantages
·
The
the government sold lands at a prevailing minimum upset price which was 5 shilling an
Acre until 1844 and 20 shillings after that. A large proportion of land in the
Island bough from the crown and resold to other parties at a huge profit margin.
Most of the foreign peoples who are owners of these land still earn huge profits
from this land. (Appendix A)
·
Most Sri
Lankan people had disentitled their lands which did not have documentary
evidence and clear many cutting forests for Plantation.
·
The
Domestic production of rice fell short of the domestic demand, and rice had to
be imported. (Bandarage, 1950) (Appendix D & E)
·
Because of
rice was produced primarily to the domestic market, most of the people who engaged in
rice cultivation lost their source of income due to reducing cultivation. (Watkins)
System of government
The colonialists brought the new and alien system
of government. It had changed each governor such as Cole brook-Cameroon, Soul bury,
etc. in different periods,
Advantages
·
Well-structured
system of government and new laws and regulation system which suitable with
modern society was introduced to the country.
·
Peoples
life was more complaisant by obeying to these laws.
·
Eliminated
the ruthless punishments such as beheading, impale, etc. that used by kings
Disadvantages
·
Under this
the system, compulsory labor (Rajakari Kramaya) inherited from the pre-colonial
The governing system in Sri Lanka was abolished and introduced different taxes on
a commodity such as Capitation, cinnamon, fish, etc. Those taxes made many
difficulties in native people’s life. (Cameron)
·
This system
Of government is alien to the natives. Hence people had to face more
punishments by violating those rules.
·
Some control
Had been used to fill full their needs, such as to stop conflicts that done
by people against them. Thus, some practices were unfair to native people of Sri
Lanka.
·
Colonialism caused the death of a lot of indigenous
leaders and other peoples who against colonialists to the Independence of Sri
Lanka. (The British In Sri Lanka)
Education
They introduced a new education system to Sri
Lanka. But their syllabus was taught only in English language and mainly before expanding their Christian religion and their habits among the student. And
parent had to pay more money for their children’s’ education.
Advantages
·
Peoples
were able to learn modern education methods and increase English knowledge and
it helped peoples to spend a better life.
·
Opened
doors to deal with the entire world and get opportunities to higher education in
other countries as well as earn money by working in other foreign countries.
·
The
Knowledge of the English language was more comfortable to communicate with each ethnic groups
in the country. (Sri Lanka Traditional and
Colonial Systems, 2004)
Disadvantages
·
British
admitted Sri Lankans, both Sinhalese, and Tamil, into the lower ranks of the
the administration created after being educated in the British school.
·
Most
students who were in poor families were unable to get an education, and they lost
better job opportunities. (Sri Lanka Traditional and
Colonial Systems, 2004)
Modernization and Technology advancement
In this period, Colonialists introduced new
advanced technology to development in transportation, modern education,
the building of railroads, health care, and medical services, exploration of natural resources[3]
and different industries.
They brought modernization to underdevelopment area on the island. (The British
In Sri Lanka)
Advantages
·
Increased
effectiveness and efficiency of this area that was introduced advance
technology.
·
Building
transportation infrastructures, it was saved peoples’ time which travels to
another area in the country and developed trade on the island.
·
Developed
the indigenous industries and peoples got different job opportunities from
these industries and also they were able to acquire knowledge and learned new skills about those industries.
Disadvantages
·
Some indigenous
method of that industrial area had wiped out.
·
Colonialists
earned more money by using our valuable resource and we lost those
opportunities and destroyed the natural forests and other natural resources in
the island. (Ghosh, 2016)
·
Simplicity
and cultural values of the people life.
·
Lost
peoples’ job who was unable to adapt to new technology advancement.
[1] Economic and Expansion Religion was the main
Purposes of Portuguese to arrive at Sri Lanka. The Dutch period, they're main
purposes were gaining a monopoly on trade, introducing Roman-Dutch Law and
Explanation of their religion on the island. However, British entities have
anticipated acquiring the power of economic and political in the entire country
[2]. The British attempted to reform the
administration of the island by introducing their methods to reduce the ethnic
tensions between the Tamils and the Sinhalese as well as the lowland Sinhalese
and the highland Kandyan Sinhalese
[3] The use of
new technology made exploration of natural resources such as gems, mining,
Porcelain etc. easier and more efficient. And they had a good market for those
natural resources especial in the European market.
Appendix
Appendix (A).
Crown Land Surveyed and Sold: Central Province,
1844-1860
Number of lots
|
Extent (Acres)
|
Sold £
|
Fees £
|
|
European
|
750
|
79,172
|
116,293
|
13,648
|
Natives
|
1,514
|
10,471
|
25,796
|
3,702
|
(Bandarage, 1950)
Ownership of Cultivated Plantation Coffee Lands
1871-1872
|
1880-1881
|
|||
Acres
|
Percent
|
Acres
|
Percent
|
|
Total
|
195,627
|
100
|
256,500
|
100
|
Non-European
|
12,642
|
6.4
|
20,352
|
7.9
|
European
|
182,985
|
93.6
|
236,148
|
92.1
|
(Bandarage, 1950)
Appendix (B)
Sri Lanka Railway Map
(Sri lanka Railway Map, 2011)
Appendix
(C)
Tea and Rubber Contribution to GDP (National
output, Expenditure, and Income, Annual Report)
Crop
|
Contribution to GNP (Rs. Million)
|
As a % of GDP
|
Tea
|
83,321
|
0.7
|
Rubber
|
10,643
|
0.3
|
(Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2016)
Appendix
(D)
Government Revenue from Grain Tax
Tax on Home Grown paddy
|
1823
|
1876
|
£ 36,716
|
£ 106,325
|
(Bandarage,
1950)
Appendix
(E)
Rice
Imports to Ceylon,1837-1872
Period
|
Amount (Cwts.)
|
Value £’000
|
1837-1839
|
798
|
167
|
1840-1849
|
1689
|
296
|
1850-1859
|
2728
|
323
|
1860-1862
|
4197
|
1186
|
1870-1872
|
4794
|
1558
|
