This paper is about Imperialism in India. I had to write it for my AP-World History class after I watched the movie "Gandhi."

Essay by salem9348High School, 10th grade April 2004

download word file, 3 pages 4.3

Downloaded 83 times

Movie: Gandhi

The movie Gandhi was about the impact Mahatma Gandhi made on India in

gaining its independence from Britain and how the Hindus and Muslims utilized non-violent

protests to achieve this goal. This film reflects imperialism in the sense that what went on in the

video clearly supported the exact definition of the word imperialism. Imperialism is the policy of

extending the rule or influence of a country over another country. Indeed this was the case in

India during the time of Gandhi, this was what he was fighting against.

Gandhi was an Indian lawyer educated in the United Kingdom. He was on his way

to South Africa to be legal advisor to a firm down there. Upon arrival, he was treated in such a

manner that is unthinkable to present day people, but was a reality for thousands of Indian

immigrants to South Africa at that time. He decided he would join in the struggle for basic rights

for his fellow Indians.

Gandhi's efforts towards a better way of life had begun in South Africa,

and after he moved back to India, there too became a colony directly effected by imperialism. Of

course the presiding country over these colonies, Britain, was also effected by imperialism, more

so, the reactions colonists had to it.

Britain tried to exert control over South African immigrant Indians. They were

made to carry around some form of passport-like identification which allowed them to be in that

country. After Gandhi made a movement in South Africa where he burned his passport, and

others did the same, the British government decided they would no longer require the

immigrants to use passports. Instead they had to be fingerprinted, "like criminals", Gandhi said.

This too upset the Indians and they rebelled against it. Too many...