Colonial Exploitation and Environmental Degradation in Malabar, India

Shobha Karinchan, Saranya T. S.

Abstract: Colonial expansion and industrial capitalism profoundly reshaped ecological systems across the Global South, with long-lasting consequences for local environments and communities. This study examines the relationship between colonial exploitation and environmental degradation in Malabar, a region that experienced intensive ecological transformation under British rule. Drawing on historical records, colonial administrative policies, and environmental narratives, the paper analyses how the British colonial economy restructured land use, forest management, and resource extraction to serve imperial interests. Particular attention is given to deforestation, plantation expansion, timber extraction, and the role of railways in accelerating ecological exploitation. The study cites environmental change within the broader context of the Industrial Revolution, which increased colonial dependence on raw materials such as timber, agricultural produce, and forest resources. Colonial forest policies, driven by utilitarian and commercial objectives, systematically undermined indigenous land-use practices and disrupted long-standing human?nature relationships. The transformation of Malabar?s forests into revenue-generating assets led to ecological imbalance, displacement of tribal communities, and long-term environmental degradation. By adopting a historical?environmental perspective, the paper highlights how colonial modes of resource extraction not only altered the physical landscape of Malabar but also produced enduring socio-economic and ecological consequences. The study contributes to the growing field of environmental history by emphasizing the role of colonial governance in shaping contemporary ecological crises and underscores the need to reassess colonial development models through the lens of sustainability and environmental justice.

Keywords: Colonial environmentalism, Malabar, Forest exploitation, Timber trade, British colonial policy, Environmental history, Sustainable development

How to Cite?: Shobha Karinchan, Saranya T. S., "Colonial Exploitation and Environmental Degradation in Malabar, India", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 105-109, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251230112000, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251230112000