A REPORT by Oxfam International claims that between 1765 and 1900, £52.7 trillion was transferred from India to Britain during colonial rule.
Released during the World Economic Forum in Davos, the report, Takers Not Makers: The unjust poverty and unearned wealth of colonialism, asserts that the British Empire stifled India’s industrial growth and left the nation impoverished.
The report highlights that in 1750, India accounted for 25 per cent of global industrial output, which declined to 2 per cent by 1900 due to British protectionist policies targeting Indian textiles.
Oxfam attributed this decline to colonial economic exploitation, calling for reparations and a shift to a more equitable global economic system.
The £52.7 tn figure is credited to Indian economists Utsa Patnaik and Prabhat Patnaik. Their earlier estimate of £36.6 tn covered the period from 1765 to 1938, while the updated figure aligns with more recent analyses, reported The Times.
The report also connects historical wealth extraction to modern global inequality, suggesting that colonial exploitation laid the foundation for the current wealth of many billionaires.
The call for reparations echoes similar appeals, including those by Congress Party politician Shashi Tharoor, who argued in his 2016 book, An Era of Darkness, that Britain owes reparations for the systematic exploitation of India.
The legacy of colonialism continues to evoke strong reactions. At a recent Coldplay concert in Mumbai, lead singer Chris Martin thanked the Indian audience for their forgiveness despite Britain’s colonial past, drawing applause and renewed discussions on the subject.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)