Looking back on this it seems almost remarkable that Ghandi's movement worked, and also that the British version of history has encouraged the myth of generosity.

> the Britons had lines they did not cross, they did not send tanks or imprison and murder leaders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallianwala_Bagh_massacre ; Ghandi was arrested repeatedly and spent several years in prison. https://www.mkgandhi.org/arrestofmahatma.htm

Possibly the main reason the Empire was abandoned was its physical untenability and expense after the war, along with pressure from the United States.