A few years back I read one of the famous talks by Charlie Munger, Business Partner of Warren Buffet who discussed the remarkable success of Coca-Cola in his essay “How to Turn $2 Million Into $2 Trillion”.
In this talk, he leaned into a ‘latticework of mental models’ ie, by viewing the businesses through the lens of the simplest academic models from the fields of psychology, biology, physics, and business.
To many, that sounds odd that multiple fields explain business success. Because first-level thinking is the success of Coca-Cola is a simple coincidence; a kind of first-mover advantage coupled with a top-secret recipe.
But Munger said in his speech it is far more than that and gave 5 key frameworks
- Decide the big no-brainer question first
- Gain numerical fluency
- Invert, Always Invert
- Think in a multidisciplinary manner
- Identify Lollapalooza effects
The reason for this approach is, it provides a unique lens through which we can understand the seemingly improbable like how a simple cool drink can survive 100+ years and dominate the markets across continents and continue to do so.
Now lattice work model is powerful one area I wanted to explore is How a small British island nation could rule over the vast and diverse subcontinent of Bharath.
With just 200000 to 300000, how British could control the 30Cr population for over 100+ years being directly responsible for the death of 35 million people, $45 trillion wealth loot, and making India the poorest with a life expectancy dropping to 32 years?
Then there is another biggest puzzle is, how could they make a significant section of our own population hold a view that it is the British we must thank as they brought in technology, administration, and united India?
So, what can different fields of science, such as social psychology, influence, economics, math, and physics teach us about this phenomenon that happened?
Instead of concluding that the British succeed because they had advanced military or infighting among Indian rulers or social issues, it is important to analyze other factors.
Let’s look into this by diving into the confluence of various mental models to decipher this historical enigma or rather we can say blunder!!
1. Biology: Immunity and Adaptation
When a foreign body enters an organism, the immune system often reacts to eliminate the threat. However, if the foreign body is introduced slowly and in small amounts, the organism can become tolerant or even dependent. Similarly, the British didn’t invade India overnight. They began as traders, gradually integrating themselves into the socio-political fabric, making it difficult for India to “reject” them once they became more assertive.
2. Mathematics: Compound Interest
Albert Einstein once said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.” The British understood this principle well. Their small initial advantages, in terms of trade agreements and alliances, compounded over time, leading to significant territorial gains.
3. Psychology: Commitment & Consistency Principle
Robert Cialdini, in his book “Influence”, discusses the human tendency to remain consistent with our commitments. Once the British established their initial presence in India through the East India Company, they consistently expanded their reach. The local rulers and populations, having once accepted a minor British role, found it psychologically challenging to reject the gradually increasing British influence.
4. Physics: Lever and Fulcrum
Archimedes famously said, “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth.” The British effectively identified the fulcrums in Indian society – local rulers, key resources, and strategic geographies – and applied leverage to control larger territories with minimal force.
5. Economics: Monopoly and Competitive Advantage
Like a shrewd business, the British frequently eliminated competition. They ensured that no other European power could establish a strong foothold in India. They also recognized India’s competitive advantage in textiles and handicrafts and subsequently destroyed local industries to make India dependent on British-made goods.
6. Social Psychology: Divide and Rule
The British astutely exploited the diverse ethnic, religious, and linguistic divisions in India. By pitting communities against each other, they ensured that a unified resistance against their rule was difficult to muster.
7. Human Psychology: The Scarcity Principle
By controlling resources and creating artificial scarcities, the British made themselves indispensable to the Indian economy. This dependency further solidified their rule.
8. Logic & Epistemology: Erasing and Re-writing Identity
British realized very early in 1757 after winning the battle of Plassey that to rule India, they need to get many Indians to their side and the way is through education.
This ultimately helped to instill a colonial mindset among Indians. Some of the ways the British used education as a tool for control and how it led to a feeling of inferiority about the Hindu system of learning and the British way of education as superior is by:
- Reframing History: British curricula downplayed India’s rich history. By portraying India as a land perpetually in chaos until the British arrived, they insinuated that British rule was a benevolent and civilizing force.
- Language Supremacy: English was promoted as the language of the elite, intellectuals, and administration. This not only created a class divide but also made many Indians believe that their native languages—and, by extension, their cultures—were inferior. Knowledge of English became synonymous with progress, modernity, and sophistication.
- Cultural Derision: Local customs, beliefs, and practices were often ridiculed in schools. This instilled a sense of inferiority among students regarding their own culture. Over time, many Indians began to view their traditions as backward or superstitious.
- Elitism and Class Creation: The British ridiculed the caste system but in turn introduced a system of competitive exams that became the gateway to prestigious administrative jobs. This created an elite class of Indians who were trained in British thought and ways, often distancing them from their roots and making them allies of the colonial regime.
- Moral Superiority: British education often portrayed Western morals and ethics as superior. Concepts of “civilized behavior” were defined largely in European terms, leading to a gradual erosion of pride in indigenous lifestyles and philosophies.
This educational strategy was pernicious and profound.
By controlling what young minds learned, the British could shape their worldviews.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
The British, understanding this, utilized education not just to control a generation, but to mold the very identity of successive generations of Indians, leading many to forsake their pride and heritage.
Persisting Colonial Mindset
Now as we can see from various models, they are so powerful that even after we as India gained independence in 1947, the actions of the British exist in the form of a colonial mindset. Especially in the Education, Bureaucracy, or cultural preferences.
- Educational System: The emphasis on rote learning and the English language, which have their roots in the colonial era as opposed to critical thinking, was our core strength, and vernacular languages.
- Bureaucracy: The administrative machinery, which often seems cumbersome and hierarchical, is a legacy of the British Raj whose aim is to fill British Raj coffers vs serving society.
- Cultural Preferences: A preference for Western attire, English music, and even lighter skin (often perceived as a status symbol) can be traced back to colonial influences.
As we can see, British rule in Bharath happened due as they were able to apply diverse strategies, drawing from various disciplines.
Just as Munger dissected the success of Coca-Cola using a multi-disciplinary approach, understanding the British dominion over India requires a kaleidoscopic view, drawing from myriad fields of knowledge.
