Chapter 1# Britain Rules India—

The Jewel in the Crown

Exercise
Q1. What were the outcomes for the Indians of the Subsidiary
Alliances and the Doctrine of Lapse brought into effect by the British?
Ans: Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) came up with the policy of 'Subsidiary
Alliances' to bring the states under British control. Under this policy the
ruler had to enter into an alliance with the British to accept troops into
his state and pay for them by giving land or money to the British.
They also had to accept a British Resident at their court and take his
advice in any treaties made with neighbouring rulers. They also had to
promise not to employ any other foreigners in their state except the
British.
Dalhousie (1848–56), In 1852 he introduced the Doctrine of Lapse by
which rulers had to cede their states to the British if they did not have a
hereditary successor or else if the successor was not competent. By
1856, most of India was under the direct rule of the East India Company
and the indirect rule of the British Crown.

Q2. Describe how the British administered their empire in India.

Ans: After 1858, India was divided into eleven provinces which were
directly under British rule with 560 Princely States whose rajas,
maharajas and nawabs followed the policies of the British Crown. The
British followed the administration of the Mughals with centralization
at the core and a responsible provincial government. The provinces
were divided into districts with further sub-division into thanas and
tehsils. A number districts were grouped under a division which was
administered by a commissioner.
The whole structure was ably managed by Civil Service officers who
were selected through a Civil Service examination instituted in 1853. It
encouraged a lot of English talent to come to India to administer it. The
army was separate and had its own recruitment policies through which
the local Indians were barred from holding officer ranks.

Q3. Why did it become necessary after the 1857 War to have Indians
on the Viceroy's Executive Council?
Ans: The Penal Code left by Lord Macaulay was enforced in 1860.
District Courts, leading up to High Courts and finally to a Supreme Court
came into existence. Most of the judicial officers were British but their
inexperience of Indian customs made a whole class of legal middlemen
come into being to advise their local clients in the British system of law.
Economically, India came to be tied more securely to British industrial
needs and markets.

Q4. What were the reforms put into place by Bentinck and what was
their result?
Ans: Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman. He
served as Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835. He has been
credited for significant social, administration, Judicial, financial and
educational reforms in India. His tenure is known for the social reforms
such as Abolition of Sati in 1829, Suppression of Thugi, and Suppression
of Infanticide etc.
Bentick left India in 1835 AD. He holds the highest rank among all the
Governor-Generals in India due to his various reforms. His seven years
rule came to be known as an “Age of Reforms”.

Q5. Who benefited from the network of roads and railways and other
modernization during British rule?
Ans: Lord Dalhousie's modernization plan for India was carried on even
more diligently after the Crown took over in 1858.
For the convenience of administration and swift movement of the army
the British built network of roads and railways.
A whole network of railways now connects all of India. The Grand Trunk
Road was extended up to Peshawar and surfaced with metal. People
from different parts of India came in contact with each other, there was
an increase in communication and the feeling of nationalism grew up.
British made these facilities for their own interest but it benefited the
Indians as well.

Q6. What changes took place in the lifestyle of the British rulers
before and after the War of 1857?
Ans: Before the War, English officers had adopted the ways of the
Indians and had even started to dress like them. They rode on
elephants and had a following of officers just like the Mughal Emperors'
state processions. Many of them married Indian wives and their
children came to be called Anglo-Indians.

After the War of 1857, the British isolated themselves behind their
exclusive Gymkhana Clubs and Civil Lines residential areas Families of
civil and military officers were encouraged to come out and live in India
and a whole culture of the white Sahibs and Mem-Sahibs was formed
with many Indian servants to serve them. The hill stations of Darjeeling,
Murree, and Simla became the summer retreats for the British elite to
retire to from the oppressive heat of the Indian plains.

Q7. Explain the education policy of the British in India as conceived by

Lord Macaulay.
Ans: Lord Macaulay's intention was 'to form a class of persons who may
be interpreters between us and the millions we govern; a class of
persons Indian in blond, colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in
morals, and in intellect.
The missionaries had also identified the teaching of the English
language and a western curriculum as essential to their promotion of
Christianity. The funds allocated for education by the British
government would then be spent on imparting western learning in the
English language to young Indians.

Thus, government-maintained schools and missionary grants-in-aid

schools followed a similar curriculum with the exception of Bible
teaching which was only done in schools run by missionaries.
It became far more practical and necessary to gain western education
in English to get jobs in the British administration.

Q8. What were the economic implications of British rule in India?

Ans: The economic policies followed by the British led to the rapid
transformation of Indian’s economy into a colonial economy whose
nature and structure were determined by the needs of the British.

All the raw materials, locomotives, railroad equipment, and cars were
directly imported from Britain. Britain was assured of a steady market
for its manufactured goods in India. Agricultural production was
boosted by the construction of irrigation canals in the United Provinces,
Punjab and Sindh. There was a marked change in the lifestyles of the
rulers and the ruled. The greatest impact of British policies was the
drain of wealth from India.

Q9. Explain the purpose of the Indian Councils' Acts of 1861 and 1892.
How were these put into effect?
Ans: The British administration decided to include Indians on their
councils so that they could advise them on various issues related to
their way of living and culture.
The Purpose of Indian Councils' Acts of 1861 was that The Viceroy had
the right to veto any law being passed by the Legislative Councils.
While Indian Councils' Acts of 1892 was to bring improvement by the
inclusion of more Indians on the Legislative of the Viceroy. The strength
of the Council was increased and two fifth of its members would be
non-official.

The Indian members could question the government on financial policy

but could not submit or propose any resolution. Under pressure from
the Indian National Congress, the British Indian government agreed to
hold elections in India.

The Act was criticized for giving hardly any concessions to Indians in
voicing their views in the administration of the country.