Anglicist-Orientalist controversy in 19th Century Bengal.
The Anglicist-Orientalist controversy was a debate that took place in the 19th century, primarily in British India, between two groups of scholars with opposing views on the culture and history of India. The controversy was essentially about how India should be studied and represented.
The Orientalists were those who favored the promotion of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian as the medium of education and the preservation of the classical traditions of India. They argued that these languages and literature were rich sources of knowledge and wisdom and that they would help British officials to understand and communicate with the local elites. They also believed that India had a glorious past that deserved respect and admiration.
The Anglicists were those who advocated the imparting of Western education and values through the medium of English. They argued that English was the language of science, commerce, and civilization and that it would enable the Indians to access the modern ideas and innovations of the West. They also believed that India was stagnant and backward and that it needed to be reformed and improved by the British rule.
The controversy was sparked by the Charter Act of 1813, which allocated a sum of money for the promotion of education in India. The debate lasted for several decades, involving various factors such as missionaries, liberals, utilitarians, orientalists, anglicists, reformers, and nationalists. The controversy was finally resolved by Lord Macaulay’s Minute on Education in 1835, which declared English as the official medium of instruction in India and favored the diffusion of Western sciences and literature among the Indians.
My assessment of this controversy is that it was a reflection of the different ideologies and interests that shaped the British colonial policy in India. On one hand, the Orientalists represented a conservative and paternalistic approach that sought to maintain the status quo and appease the native elites. On the other hand, the Anglicists represented a progressive and interventionist approach that sought to transform India according to their own vision and values. Both groups had their own biases and prejudices, and neither fully appreciated or understood the diversity and complexity of Indian society. The controversy also had significant implications for the development of Indian education, culture, and nationalism. It created a divide between the traditional and modern sectors of Indian society, as well as a sense of alienation and resentment among many Indians who felt their identity and heritage were being undermined or ignored by the British.
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