Which of the following statements best explains the motivations for creating the EIC?
A. The Industrial Revolution allowed for the creation of new ship designs and navigation technologies.
B. The British government wanted to conquer the Mughal Empire by gaining the support of local nawabs.
C. The Mughal Empire was monopolizing trade with Europe, which threatened the British.
D. Mercantilist polices saw economic strength and the protection of trade as key to national security.
D. Mercantilist policies saw economic strength and the protection of trade as key to national security.
The best explanation for the motivations of creating the East India Company (EIC) is option D. Mercantilist polices saw economic strength and the protection of trade as key to national security.
To determine which of the statements best explains the motivations for creating the East India Company (EIC), we need to analyze each option and consider the historical context.
A. The statement suggests that the Industrial Revolution enabled the development of new ship designs and navigation technologies. While these advancements may have contributed to the growth of the British Empire's maritime capabilities, it does not directly address the motivations for creating the EIC.
B. This statement suggests that the British government's goal was to conquer the Mughal Empire by gaining the support of local nawabs (rulers). However, it is important to note that the EIC was established before British involvement in India became primarily focused on territorial expansion. While territorial ambitions may have developed later, they were not the primary motivations for the creation of the EIC.
C. This statement argues that the Mughal Empire's monopoly on trade with Europe threatened the British. This is an accurate representation of the motivations behind the EIC's establishment. The British saw the need to challenge the Mughal Empire's dominance in trade and establish their own trading outpost in order to secure economic benefits and ensure a share in the profitable Indian trade.
D. The statement implies that the adoption of mercantilist policies, which emphasized the protection of trade and economic strength, played a crucial role in the creation of the EIC. This is also true. Mercantilism was a prevalent economic theory of the time, and the British government perceived control over trade as essential to national security and prosperity.
Based on the analysis, the statement that best explains the motivations for creating the EIC is option C: "The Mughal Empire was monopolizing trade with Europe, which threatened the British." This captures the primary objective of the British in establishing the EIC – to challenge and break the Mughal monopoly on trade with India.