The educated middle class in India

The educated middle class largely remained neutral during the Revolt of 1857. Contemporary accounts record that the atrocities of the uprising shocked Indian intellectuals and that this growing social group “did not believe in violence and preferred an orderly approach” to change [1]. Historians also note that large parts of the country were unaffected and many social sections did not participate in the upsurge, underlining limited middle‑class involvement in the armed rebellion [2]. While some individuals sympathized or later engaged in political reform, the class as a whole tended to avoid violent action and sought constitutional, legal and reformist channels instead, making “remained neutral” the best choice.

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Significance of the Revolt > p. 186
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Nature of the Revolt > p. 180