Is The British Rule In Burmese Days By George Orwell

George Orwell critiques British rule in Burma through John Flory by having Flory detest the imperial rule, yet have him also feel caught up in the riptides of the imperial movement as though he must go on with it or face being isolated from everyone else around him. In Burmese Days, when thinking about his fellow Englishmen’s culture during a conversation with Dr. Veraswami, John Flory thinks to himself, “Dull boozing witless porkers! Was it possible that they could go on week after week, year after year, repeating word for word the same evil-minded drivel, like a parody of a fifth-rate story in Blackwood’s? Would none of them ever think of anything new to say?” (33). This shows that he is disgusted with, and tired of hearing about, the British …show more content…
In one conversation, John Flory states, “I don’t want the Burmans to drive us out of this country. God forbid! I’m here to make money, like everyone else. All I object to is the slimy white man’s burden humbug” (39). Flory goes on to say, “ Why, of course, the lie that we’re here to uplift our poor black brothers instead of to rob them,” (39), both previous statements showing that the British rule was intended to use the Burmese for their own purposes and to rob them of their resources and money to help bolster Britain. It is also important to note that Dr. Veraswami, like other people on the outside of the actual British conquests, thought that the British were there to uplift the Burmese and to help them become “civilized” in their manners and actions, rather than to take advantage of them (38-39). In terms of the power and influence that Britain had over Burma, they had immense power. Britain took over, and made many major changes to, the Burmese educational, religious, and political systems, amongst others (Webster, 142-143). They had power over trade and resources in Burma, and as a result, gained tremendous amounts of money from rice (Webster, 144). Burmese individuals even got tired of how the government positions were set up, as not only were there British rulers in the government, there were also many Indians in the government system too, which frustrated the Burmese (Webster, 144). In making these changes, Britain was better able to control the Burmese to an even greater extent than what they otherwise could have done (Webster, 145). Thus, the basis for British rule in Burma was to take advantage of the Burmese and to rob them, and the ways that they did this was by exerting great power over