Administration of India up to 1914 Flashcards
What was the structure of India’s government post 1858?
Viceroy/ Governor General in India
Secretary of State for India in Westminster
Council of India (15 non Indian men who had lived in India)
How many Princely states were ruled by princes?
562
How did the Princely States work?
In theory, princes had complete authority over their land
Treaties meant each state was under “British protection”
Princes are puppet rulers
How was the Indian Civil Service flawed?
The exam took place in Britain (until 1919) and very little education in India
How many Indians in the ICS by 1887?
12
What percentage of the ICS was Indian by 1913?
5%
What did the British create in India through investment?
A middle class
Give some examples of how Indians benefitted from British rule after 1858
Health and public services improved, increasing life expectancy
Growth in agriculture and industry created employment
Irrigation programme helped farming
Investment in infrastructure, particularly railways
Religious freedom
Give some examples of how Indians did not benefit from British rule after 1858
Growth of cash crops created famine and food shortages
Few Indians could vote or were involved in councils/government
Little investment as 40% of British spending in India was on the army
Exploited: unfair prices for crops
Class divisions emphasised
What underpinned British control in India in the 19th century?
Naval supremacy
Communications, technology, telegrams
Railways
How did the ICS help underpin British control over India?
Top government moved from Calcutta to Simla leaving the ICS in charge
How did the education system developed by the British help underpin their control?
200,000 Indians in English speaking schools by 1870
British hoped to create a loyal, pro-British elite
How did the ICS and introduction of education contribute to growing nationalism?
Elite became politically aware and their nationalist ideas grew and were spread
When was the Ilbert Bill issued and under which Viceroy?
1883
Lord Ripon
What did the Ilbert Bill do?
It said that Indian judges could try an accused European
What was the “White Mutiny”?
British response to the Ilbert Bill
Opposition in Britain played on racial tensions
Propaganda circulated that Indian judges couldn’t be trusted
What was the outcome of the White Mutiny?
The Ilbert Bill was changed to a European defendant had the right to be trialled by an at least half European jury
When, where and by whom was the Indian National Congress founded?
28th December 1885
Bombay
(British) A O Hume
What were the original aims of the INC?
Promote fusion of everyone in the subcontinent into one nation
Help consolidate union between England and India by calling for reforms against certain things
What was the INC’s main method?
Social regeneration and conscious raising
When was the second Indian Councils’ Act passed and what did it do?
1892
It modestly increased the number of Indians on Provincial Legislative Courts
Which religion initially dominated the INC?
Hindus
When was the fist Indian Councils’ Act pass and what did it do?
1861
Legislative Council now included Indian advisors but appointed by the Viceroy
When were Ripon reforms passed and what did they do?
1883
Local councils, of Indian majority, were given extra powers to raise money for local workers
