Social Engineering Through Colonial Education

Education is often believed to be a means of achieving enlightenment, comprehensive growth of the mental capacity and improvement in the quality of life, while providing opportunities to earn a livelihood, and there is no doubt regarding any of these attributes of education.

Education is also seen as a measure to improve and uplift the society, leading the misguided to the right path, specifically, the path which is deemed to be the right one according to the educator. The role of the educator is the most important, the one who has the ability to modulate the outcome of education.

However, if the said educator has ill intentions, then the highly esteemed 'education' suddenly becomes a highly dangerous form of subversion. Education, which can guide the society towards the greater good, can also be implemented as a tool of social engineering. Education is the strongest double-edged sword!

'Social engineering', (in the context of information security), is the term denoting a broad range of malicious activities accomplished through human interactions. It uses psychological manipulation to trick users into making mistakes or giving away sensitive information,

(and in the ideological context), malicious activities using psychological manipulation intended to brainwash individuals, to subdue them to follow the orders, in such a manner that the targeted individuals will not even realise the extent of indoctrination.

Social engineering is performed through one or more steps. A perpetrator first investigates the intended target, to gather the necessary background information, and to take decisions regarding the methodology of attack. Then the attacker implements deception to establish a strong foothold, and gain the victim's trust and support.

Then the attacker slowly and gradually captures the system, expanding the foothold, and executing the plan (in ideological context; the propaganda). Finally, in terms of information security, social engineering ends at the fourth step, where the attacker discreetly withdraws leaving no trace, covering all tracks, and bringing an end to the attack, with a natural appearance.

In case of ideological social engineering, the attacker leaves no trace of the attack too, but here the attacker has no intention to leave. The intention is to manipulate, to rule, or worse, to subvert and destroy the society.

In the annals of history, the profound impact of colonialism on indigenous societies is a well-documented narrative. However, often overshadowed is the subtle yet equally potent tool of social engineering employed through colonial education systems. Colonial powers begin by discarding the native education systems, often humiliating, and punishing those who retain their native education practices.

Once the individuals are deprived of their native education systems, the colonialists slowly and gradually introduce their own educational institutions, thus creating a monopoly over education. Now, the colonialists are free to dictate the terms of education- what is to be taught and what not! In Bharat, all Abrahamic invaders ensured that every Mandir, Gurukul or any other kind of native educational source was shut down, or brought under their control.

Later, under British colonial invasion, the younger generations were introduced to English schools. The French, the Portuguese and others did the same in their respective enclaves, with their respective education systems. But all of them implemented in a similar pattern- teach their students that anything that is taught in their native system is false and baseless, that their native society is not capable of coming up with any innovations, and they have no capacity to enter leadership roles.

The first attack was on languages. Languages are not just a medium of communication, but also a civilizational link. The colonialists did not give any opportunity for the students to learn in native languages. In case of the British, students were forced to learn in English, speak in English, and ultimately forced to think in English. The native languages were no longer allowed any leverage in education, in trade, and otherwise. Thus, whatever rich sources of education that must have existed within these native languages suddenly became out of reach for the students. It is the native society's resistance and perseverance that they at least retained their native languages back home.

The second attack was on Itihasa, or history. Since most native societies maintained a system of oral transfer of knowledge, much of the knowledge was stored in those native languages in oral form. As stated in the above paragraph, such oral transfer of knowledge ceased to continue due to keeping colonialist's language as the only alternative! This monopoly resulted into the colonialists brainwashing their students into believing that the oral transfer of knowledge does not count as education, and the history passed down orally is to be treated merely as stories or mythology.

For almost a century or two, and even after independence, Bharatiya students are taught that their own Itihasa is mere mythology. This gave a free hand to the colonialists, who now also had a monopoly on what is to be considered history! They used it to teach natives that throughout the "history", the natives are only the losers, that they are always suffering from invasions, that they do not have any leadership, that they cannot defend themselves and are inferior.

Demotivation works as a perfect weapon for subversion! A demotivated society is deprived of their past glory, which leads to a lack of self-respect. And without self-respect, there is no morale to fight for the resistance. The colonialists started the fourth stage of social engineering over a demotivated society, cleaning the tracks!

The British in Bharat started portraying themselves as liberators. A false image was created wherein individuals were made to believe that the pre-British Bharat was divided, had no freedom for women, had perpetual conflicts, and that the British liberated the people, gave "rights" to women and deprived communities, and "united" the country. All of it is clearly untrue, as the very predecessors of the British, the Hindavi Swarajya led by Marathas had united much of the country under a single banner, and there was participation of all sections of the society in the power structure. But since the native history was kept hidden purposely, those who took education under British education system never knew the truth.

After a strong resistance and a brutal war of independence, the British were forced out in 1947, but neither did they had the intention of taking away their education system along with them, nor did the successors, i.e., governments of independent Bharat, had the interest to remove the British education. This is an example of a successful social engineering. The British were able to leave, without the natives realising that their entire education system, the backbone of their country's future, is completely compromised!

The colonial education system continues till day, and if any government were to take up the task of finally uprooting it and cleaning it up, it would take decades. But at least, someone must start the work. Slowly and gradually, real history has to be reintroduced. Native languages, especially Sanskrit, which was forced out of regular usage, have to be brought back. The successive lies of the British Empire must be categorically exposed, and the upcoming generations must be taught in an education system that motivates them about their past glory, and inspires them to shape the bright future of their bright country!

Article by



Mohit Mandar Joshi
Younginker
Student
Thane, Maharashtra