Explore the complex economic and political factors that led to British colonization of India in this 32-minute lecture from The Great Courses. Examine how the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of regional powers created opportunities for foreign intervention. Discover India's growing importance in the global economy of the 1700s, particularly through its textile trade. Learn how the English East India Company leveraged naval dominance and local troops to establish a foothold in the subcontinent. Analyze the perfect storm of circumstances, including increased military spending and the rise of influential moneylending families, that paved the way for British rule. Gain insights into the economic changes that ultimately facilitated colonial control of the Indian subcontinent.