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The formation of middle class in colonial India was the result of long historical process. Its beginning could be traced since arrival of industrialization and trading economy, but concrete observation could be made after 1857 revolution. The formation of middle class could be explained by understanding the nature of national movement. The historical context of the development of middle classes in India is quite different from those in western world. In Europe, it came through industrial revolution. In case of India, it was 19th century under the patronage of British colonial rule that the middle classes beginning to emerge.

There were two layers of economic system in rural and urban India. In urban area, the middle class was the product of new economy introduced by the British while rural middle class was still based on the land distribution system. It also has been noticed that there were uneven growths in middle class. Under the British rule there was a rise of a middle class in India. Administration, education, business and occupation played a significant role in providing Indians the jobs and in creating a middle class at that time. This book describes the rise of a middle class in colonial India.

Contents: Preface. 1. Emergence of new classes. 2. Modern ideas. 3. Western education in nineteenth century India. 4. Indian renaissance. 5. The literature of British India. 6. Progress of science. 7. Indian legacy and western challenges. 8. Orientalist anglicist controversy. 9. Education in India colonial India. 10. Politics of association. Bibliography. Index.