Supposed Statement by Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800 -1859)

[Guest guest]

The following statement often ascribed Baron MaCaulay, seems to have

been made up by someone else. I wonder if any of the learned members

of this conference have any idea of where it actually came from. Other

comments are also appreciated. Thanks.

 

" I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not

seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have

seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber,

that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we

break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and

cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old

and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think

that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their

own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and

they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation " .

 

As one blogger commented on this quote:

 

" It is a general misconception that this is a part of Lord McCauley's

speech to British Parliament because Lord McCauley arrived in India on

10th June 1834 and returned to England in early 1838. If in 1835 he

was in India then how could he have delivered a speech in the British

Parliament? Let me also add that he arrived in India by a 3 month long

journey by ship so there is no chance that the Lord made a quick visit

to England (British Airways did not exist at that time) for delivering

this speech. "