Banned: Controversial Literature and Political Control in British India 1907-1947

Much has been written about the evolution of publisher’s freedom in countries such as UK, USA or Nazi Germany. For instance, in Britain by the nineteenth century, law and public opinion created an atmosphere conducive to virtually free exchange of opinion and news. But this same press liberty was not extended to its colonies. Historians usually begin their studies in the late 17 ad and conclude with a short sketch on post-19 developments. Lack of analysis of the latter period is particularly disturbing because the confrontation the ruler (the Raj) and the ruled after 19 brought into focus the conflict between cherished British ideological traditions and the demands of control over a non-Western population. Censorship, banning, and other varieties of official interference with freedom of the Press also constitute key but little known elements in India’s struggle for Independence. This book which examines the Government–Press interaction during 197-1947 is intended primarily as a contribution to our understanding of political developments within the British Empire in India.