Born Eric Blair in Bengal, India, in 1903, George Orwell understood English imperialism long before he began his career as a political critic and journalist. As the son of an official in the Indian Civil Service, Orwell spent his first eight years in India before his mother took him and his sisters to be educated in England. Sent to an elite boarding school, Orwell was one of few students allowed to attend at a lower tuition. Orwell's lower social class status made him the target of other students and school officials disdain and snobbery. However, Orwell completed his early education successfully and was accepted to Eton on scholarship in 1917. At Eton, Orwell began to engage in political debate as he was introduced to socialist ideas for the first time. However, Orwell decided to join the Civil Service rather than attend university after he graduated from Eton in 1921. As a member of the Civil Service, Orwell was sent to Burma to serve in the Indian Imperial Police. Like his father, Orwell became an embodiment of English imperialism. Although he often disapproved of his own exercise of authority and power of the native Burmese, Orwell's experience in Burma helped him clarify his populist political beliefs. In 1927, while on leave, Orwell returned to England and resigned his post in the Civil Service.