British Administration In India

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It has been found that by 1784 the East India Company’s administration of India had been brought under its control by the British Government and that its economic policies were being determined by the needs of British economy. It is that we will now discuss the organisation through which the Company administered its recently acquired dominion. In the beginning the Company left the administration of its possessions in India in Indian hands, confining its activities to supervision. But it soon found 'that British aims were not adequately served by following old methods of administration. Consequently, the Company took all aspects of administration in its own hand, Under Warren Hastings and Cornwallis, the administration of Bengal was completely…show more content…
This was so for two reasons. For one, the chief aim of British-Indian administration was the maintenance of law and order and the perpetuation of British rule. Without law and order British merchants and British manufacturers could not hope to sell their goods in every nook and corner of India. Again, the British, being foreigners, could not hope to win the affections of the Indian people; they, therefore, relied on superior force rather than on public support for the maintenance 0f their control over India. 'Hie Duke of Wellington, who had served in India tender his brother, Lord Wellesley, remarked after his return to…show more content…
For one, they were convinced that an administration based on British ideas, institutions, and practices could be firmly established only by English personnel. And, then, they did not trust the ability and integrity of the Indians. For example, Charles Grant, Chairman of the Court of Directors, condemned the people of India as “a race of men lamentably degenerate and base; retaining but a feeble sense of moral obligation;... and sunk in misery by their vices.” Similarly, Cornwallis believed that “Every native of Hindustan is corrupt". It may be noted that this criticism did apply to some extent to a small class of Indian officials and zamind&rs of the time. But, then, it was equally if not more true of British officials in India, In fact, Cornwallis had proposed to give them high salaries in order to help them resist temptations and to become honest and obedient. But he never thought of applying the same remedy of adequate salaries to eradicate corruption among Indian

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