Entitled Imperialists Behaving Badly
Portraits of arrogance in the British Raj
Here’s an artifact that sheds light on the dynamics of British colonial rule in India. "Sketches of Indian Life" by William Whitelock Lloyd (1890) unravels a tale of power and privilege through its images of colonial administrators’ sporting mistreatment “their natives.”
Below - two young British colonials attack the Major’s Chowkedar (night watchman) for making too much noise at night. (Note: watchmen intentionally made noise to indicate they were on the job.)
This was the world of young elite British men who, enticed by adventure and a sense of duty, embarked on a journey to become the ruling elite of the Indian Civil Service (ICS). Hailing from the upper echelons of British society, these men were products of prestigious schools and universities, armed with classical education and a firm belief in their own superiority.
Below - a Punkah-Wallah was a servant who operated a fan. This Brit beats his because he fell asleep on the job.
The sense of entitlement and superiority oozes from the scenes captured by Lloyd. The British colonials, draped in their tailored uniforms, are portrayed as lords of the land, treating the native Indians with disdain and cruelty. The sketches provide a window into the unchecked privileges colonials enjoyed.
Below - colonial hunter accidentally shoots and kills an old woman. He offers some money as compensation. Then wonders if the locals might want to sacrifice more old woman for payment.
These sketches reveal how the British colonizers viewed the Indians as inferior, ignorant, and savage, and how they justified their oppression and exploitation of them. They also show how the British colonizers were unaware or indifferent to the suffering and resentment of the Indian people, and how they provoked the rebellions that eventually led to the end of their rule in India and other colonies.
Next a children’s ABC Book that celebrated British domination of the world
K is for Kings. Once warlike and haughty (1889)
This is one image from “An ABC for Baby Patriots” (1899), a children’s book by Mrs Ernest Ames (Mary Francis Ames). In her efforts to simultaneously train baby Britons in both politics and the alphabet, Ames provides a very sanitized look into the otherwise dark side of British colonial values.
Title: Lloyd's Sketches of Indian Life (1890)
Author: William Whitelock Lloyd
Date: 1890
Source: Internet Archive
There should be! Maybe an image of an elephant wearing an American flag?
Just grim. The sheer bloody arrogance of not only acting like this, but also recording it as if this is ‘correct’ behaviour. A large part of me hopes that this was actually satirical in nature, and used by sensible folk to argue against this sort of deplorableness, but sadly, I do know better. 😢