Question

Enumerate the cause for the failure of the Great Revolt of 1857.

Answer 1

Administrative changes:

1. Disunity among the Indians was the first and the foremost cause.
2. A large number of rulers of the Indian states and the big zamindars did not join the movement,
3. The rulers of the Indian states, who did not support the movement, remained neutral.
4. The educated Indians did not support the movement.
5. The telegraph and postal communication proved very helpful to the British for proper military actions and sending their reinforcements at the earliest time.
6. The rebellious soldiers were short of modem weapons and other materials of war.
7. The rebellious soldiers had to fight with traditional weapons which were no match to modem weapons possessed by the British forces.
8. The revolt was not extended beyond North.
9. The Indian leaders like Nana Saheb, Tantia Tope, Rani Lakshmi Bai were no match to the British generals.
10. The revolt broke out prematurely and the preparations for the revolt remained incomplete.
11. The organization and the planning of the rebels were very poor.
12. The Indian leaders were brave and selfless but they lacked unity of command and discipline.
13. The revolutionaries had no common idea.
14. The Muslims wanted to revive Mughal rule and the Hindus wanted to receive the Peshwa Raj.
15. The British diplomacy of Divide and Rule prevented most of the Indians to join together for a common cause.