The English East India Company came in India in the beginning of seventeenth century as a trading partner. In the initial phase, the Company was engaged in activities related with trade and commerce; however, it was through Bengal that the British initiated the path to colonization. The English East India Company attracted towards Bengal with the objective of profitable and prosperous trade that it had offered. Moreover, from the mid of the eighteenth century, Bengal offered valuable commercial privileges to the English Company as freedom to export and import without having taxes, prohibition on other European commercial companies in Bengal, etc. From this time onwards, the absolute powers related with ‘Dastak’ were severely misused by the servants of the Company to evade taxes on their private trade. This led to a direct conflict between the Nawab of Bengal and the English Company. The Company's interest in conquering Bengal was two-fold, i.e., protection of its trade and control over Bengal's revenue. It was on 23rd June, 1757 that the battle of Plassey was fought between the Nawab of Bengal and East India Company. The uncomplicated victory of English Company in this battle paved the way not only for the British annexation of Bengal but also their conquest of the whole of India. It established the military supremacy of the English in Bengal and raised them to the status of a major contender for the Indian empire. The revenues from Bengal enabled them to organise a strong army through which the Company conquered mighty Indian political powers as Maratha, Mysore, Punjab, etc. More to this, the elimination of the French commercial Company in India was the direct consequence of conquest of Bengal.
Dastak, Drain of Wealth, Dual government, East India Company, Princely state
