[hermitcrab]

I'm not excusing Britain in any way for allowing the East India Company to behave as it did. I believe many of the British ruling class were shareholders and benefitted directly from its depredations.

[hermitcrab]

Also, in the British tradition of 'divide and rule' they would generally get local people to do a lot of the dirty work.

[rbg246]

No absolutely, sorry if I sounded that way.

I certainly was not saying you were excusing, just adding an addendum to your comment.