द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

§ III. THE NEW AWAKENING IN INDIA
In considering the political conquest of India by such a small
country as England the first point that strikes one is as to
how such a feat could be at all possible. But if one knew the
Indian temperament and Indian traditions, it would not be
difficult to understand. The Indian people had never any
feeling against the foreigner. This mentality had been
developed partly through the philosophical outlook of the
people as a whole and partly through the largeness of the
country which made it possible to welcome as many people
as could come into the country. In the past, India had been
invaded by new tribes and peoples over and over again. But
though they came as foreigners they soon settled down and
made India their home. The feeling of strangeness dis-
appeared and the foreigners became a part of the body-
politic. On the whole, there was no intercommunal friction
for any length of time after foreigners came in. An under-
standing would be soon effected and the foreigners would
become members of the great Indian family.
Thus it was that when the European races—Portuguese,
Dutch, French and English—first arrived in India they did
not excite any suspicion or hostility or animosity. It was not a
new phenomenon in the history of India—at least so the
people thought. The fact that the majority of the foreigners
were either peaceful missionaries or traders further served to
disarm opposition. They were given facilities and even
allowed to acquire territory for carrying on their peaceful
avocation. Even when the foreigners took part in any political
strife, they were always careful to side with a section of the
people so that they would never get the entire people against
them. In this respect the diplomacy of the British was by
far the best. The question crops up here as to why a sec-
tion of the Indian people sought the help of the foreigners
in their own internal disputes. The reply to that has been
given already above. As contrasted with India, neighbouring
countries like Afghanistan, Tibet and Nepal, have still