Why did 1857 revolt happen?

Causes that prompted the revolt

• Dissatisfaction in the sepoys community
  • RANK -Discrimination and racist treatment with Indian soldiers
    • Salary and facilities
    • Post and promotion
  • CASTE – Army discipline – in conflict with beliefs and prejudice of upper caste Hindu who dominated the Army
  • RELIGION – Threat to Religious sentiments – terms and conditions
    • Going abroad = ostracised by society  
    • Use of animal fat in new rifles- cow and pig
    • Rumour of promoting conversion to Christianity
  • POLITY Sepoys came from Indian population(esp. peasantry) – suffering hardships by new land revenue system => political character

Economic Reasons

• Peasantry  – excessive and irrational taxation, coercive collection and continued increased in rate as well coerciveness  => impoverishment, indebtedness and land losses
• Artisans and craftsmen – job losses
  • States merged/annexed – patronage of kings gone
  • British goods – promotion = > domestic industry severely damaged
• Aristocrats (Zamindars) – confiscation of land => threat to economic and social status
  • e.g. Taluqdars in Awadh

Political Reasons

• States annexed or control taken by British under various doctrines
  • Subsidiary alliance
  • Doctrine of lapse
  • Effective control
• Foreign Affairs : Recent defeats and retreats of British army
  • 1st Afghan war (1838-42)
  • Punjab war (1845-49)
  • Crimean war (1854-56)

Social Reasons

• Religious insecurity
  •  reforms – sought by orthodox as interference
  • Christianity – thought to be forcefully imposed
• Racism

Administrative Causes

• High corruption – administration e.g. police = alienation of citizenry
• Foreign character – hurting self-pride
• Sepoy mutiny resulted in civil rebellion as the fear of state vanished.