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Секция History in English
The iron lady: the political biographyof margaret thatcher
Vercingétorix — chef gaulois légendaire
Les gens de Cenabum (aujourd’hui Orléans) se sont révoltés. Il n’y a plus un Romain vivant dans la ville! Assez de lâcheté! Imit
Sa courte vie de combattant eut cette élégante beauté qui charmait les anciens et qui était une faveur des dieux
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Секция History in English

THE EAST-INDIA CONPANY IN THE SYSTEM
OF EXPLOITATION OF INDIA

Ehova Y. — 4rd year student
Supervisor — ass. prof. Suvorov Y. V.


The report deals with the history of the East-India Company at the end of the 18 century — the beginning of the 19 century. This period was a key moment in the history of the company, when it realized its political potential in India. If in England the Company was allowed to have corporate autonomy by Parliament, then in Bengal it transformed this right to administrative authority. The actions of men such as Warren Hastings (1732—1818) and Charles Cornwallis (1738—1805) helped to transform the Company from «trader» to «sovereign», so that during the second half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century millions of Indians were brought under British rule. The company took on new status, described by T. B. Macoley, famous English historian, as the «subject of the West hemisphere and sovereign of the East one». It means that the East-India Company appeared to be an imperious competitor of the British government. The competition ended in the governmental control over the Company’s activity. The source, mentioned in the work, is partly based on the monographs of Soviet writers, who were under the influence of state ideology. However, there is also the viewpoint of the English as well as Indian authors that helped to reconstruct broad picture of Indian exploitation at the turn of the centuries.

The aim of the report is to show a place of the East-India Company in the system of exploitation of India, when the Company acquired control of Bengal in 1757. The following problems have been put forward: firstly, to view the East-India Company’s activity in India and methods of exploitation of the country in the second part of the 18 — the beginning of the 20 century; secondly, to analyze mutual relations between English Parliament and the company; and, thirdly, to study control system in India and its change in connection with intervention of British Parliament in the East-India Company’s activity.

Our investigation enabled us to conclude that from the middle of 18 century, the East-India Company appeared to be a functional body of British sate in India, without loosing its economic function. The East-India Company concentrated all operations in India — trade, military, diplomatic, political; and it was the most successful from for penetration into India. However, the Company carried out a policy dictated by the British government through a special body — the Board of control The year 1784 was a turning point when all essential questions on India were discussed in the House of Commons, but not in the Company. While the East-India Company attacked Southern Asia, «collecting» territories under its authority, in Great Britain it was continuously stepping back, as the government limited its economic and political space.
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THE IRON LADY: THE POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY
OF MARGARET THATCHER

Mirantsova A. — 3rd year student
Consultant — ass. prof. Yusupov A. F.


Margaret Thatcher was born in 1925 in Grantham. Her father, a grocer and a mayor of the town, supported Conservative party, and had a major formative influence on Margaret.

She studied chemistry at Oxford, and became a Chairman of Conservative Association — the third woman to hold the post. Upon graduation she worked as a research chemist. In 1951 Margaret married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman. Their twin children were born in 1953. In 1954 M. Thatcher qualified as a tax lawyer. But it was already clear that politics was her true calling.

In 1959 M. Thatcher was elected to the House of Commons. She changed several minor posts while the Conservatives were in the opposition. She was then promoted to shadow Education Department.

When the Conservatives returned to power in 1970, she was appointed Secretary of State for Education. Margaret's first months in office were not easy. The abolishing of free milk in schools provoked a storm of public protest, earning her the nickname «Thatcher, milk snatcher».

In 1974 the Conservatives were again defeated in general elections. It was evident that the party was in the deep crisis. In 1975 Tory elected M. Thatcher its first woman leader.

In May 1979 Conservatives regained power from Labour. Thatcher became Britain's first female prime minister. The major problems of Britain were high inflation and unemployment. M. Thatcher believed strongly in lessening government control over economy. That is why she sharply reduced government spending, privatized social housing, public transport and other national industries, and also proposed free-market changes to the health and education systems.

By the time of the 1983 election the economy was recovering well. However, the Government's economic policy was widely blamed, and it was very uncertain whether Tory would win the next elections. In 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British colony. Thatcher immediately sent a naval task force to the Falklands which defeated the Argentineans. It resulted in a wave of patriotic enthusiasm for Thatcher personally. The Conservatives won the general election in 1983. In 1987 Thatcher led the Conservatives to a third successive electoral victory and became the first English Prime Minister to win three consecutive elections in XX century.

M. Thatcher had to face the unprecedented Miners' General Strike (1984—1985). The miners were forced to go back to work without a deal.

In foreign affairs, Thatcher was a close ally of USA President R. Reagan and shared his antipathy to Communism. However, her foreign strategy was flexible enough to support M. Gorbachev.

Thatcher started to lose popularity in 1989, and was eventually persuaded to resign in 1990. Few could argue that there was a woman who played a more important role on the world stage in the XX century than M. Thatcher.
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VERCINGÉTORIX — CHEF GAULOIS LÉGENDAIRE

Grigorievsky A. — 2rd year student
Supervisor — ass. prof. Vassilièva E. V.


Si l’on entreprenait de sonder les Français en leur demandant de désigner trois personnages symbolisant leur Histoire, il est probable que trois noms viendraient en tête: Napoléon, Jeanne d’Arc, Vercingétorix. Pour le troisième, cette popularité est récente. Pendant dix-huit siècles, le chef gaulois est demeuré presque totalement inconnu des Français.

Mais en 1901, après plusieurs années de recherches, Camille Jullian consacre à celui qui avait fait trembler César un maître livre soutenu par une érudution superbe autant que par un style souple et imagé propre à le rendre accessible au grand public. La France a lu Camille Jullian. Ils en sortirent lestés d’une admiration grandie. Paradoxe: le vainqueur magnifiait le vaincu. Qui était donc ce Vercingétorix?

L’année 53 (avant Jésus-Christ) s’achève. A Gergovie, capitale des Arvernes (d’Arverne on fera Auvergne), on traverse un hiver rigoureux. Soudain, dans les rues de la ville, un appel retentit. On écoute: «^ Les gens de Cenabum (aujourd’hui Orléans) se sont révoltés. Il n’y a plus un Romain vivant dans la ville! Assez de lâcheté! Imitons-les!»

Dans l’instant, toute la population est dehors. Elle aussi crie: «Assez de lâcheté!»

Ce Vercingétorix qui vient de lever l’étandard de la révolte gauloise est fils d’un puissant chef des Arvernes, Celtill. Ce fils est encore très jeune. César — qui a alors 48 ans — le désigne comme «un jeune homme» parmi les plus puissants». Il avait entre 20—30 ans au moment du soulèvement. Quant à son nom, on le traduit par «roi des grands guerriers». C’était le temps où le plus grand général de Rome, appelé au secours par un peuple gaulois — les Eduens — que menaçaient les Helvètes, était accouru avec ses légions. Il avait écrasé les Helvètes. Il est de ce fait devenu le sauveur des Eduens. Dès lors, César s’est considéré comme chez lui en Gaule et a projeté de la faire sienne.

On peut le comprendre: cette Gaule est un pays riche qui se révèle à l’origine d’une véritable civilisation. D’année en année, l’ambition de César s’est confirmée. Le drame est qu’il n’existe pas de nation gauloise mais de petits Etats indépendants. César a joué admirablement de l’un contre l’autre. A la fin de l’année moins 53, il peut croire que la Gaule est à lui.

C’est sans compter Vercingétorix. Le jeune Arverne est convaincu que, si les Gaulois s’unissent, ils pourront chasser les Romains. Il montre l’exemple, saute à cheval. Il parcourt la Gaule, plaide pour l’union, convainc. Les peuples gaulois se rangent sous son autorité.

A marches redoublées, César s’avance sur Gergovie, où Vércingétorix s’est retiré. César en entreprend le siège. Il tente le tout pour le tout, une attaque dans laquelle il précipite toutes ses forces. Vercingétorix la brise et rejette l’armée de César. Le Romain ordonne la retraite. La mi-mai moins 52 voit la victoire la plus insigne de l’histoire de Vercingétorix.

La poussière des chemins se sème de cadavres romains. Vercingétorix tient la victoire à la portée de main. Pour confirmer ses dons de général, il lui faut une bataille rangée. Il attaque. Il a trop présumé de ses forces. César l’emporte.

Vercingétorix décide de gagner Alésia, aujourd’hui Alise-Sainte-Reine. Renvoyant sa cavalerie, Vercingétorix s’y enferme avec ses 800 000 fantassins. Il commet là l’erreur qui entraînera sa perte. Ce que n’a pas imaginé Vercingétorix, c’est que César se gardait de tomber dans le piège. Le Romain sait que prendre Alésia est impossible. Il va donc se contenter de bloquer la ville par tous les moyens. Dans Alésia, la famine devient atroce. L’armée agonise. Tous les guerriers vont-ils mourir? Vercingétorix coiffe son casque à deux ailes, enfourche son plus beau cheval. Il galope jusqu’au camp de César et jette ses armes aux pieds du vainqueur.

Son épopée n’a duré que dix mois. Conduit à Rome, le prisonnier est jeté dans un cachot de la prison Mamertine, où il croupit durant six ans en attendant le «triomphe» de César. Ce jour-là, il parcourt la ville attaché au char de son vainqueur. Le soir venu, il est étranglé devant le temple de Jupiter.

Comment ne pas souscrire au jugement de Camille Jullian: «^ Sa courte vie de combattant eut cette élégante beauté qui charmait les anciens et qui était une faveur des dieux»?