George Nathanial Curzon, Viceroy 1898 - 1905 (4) Flashcards
Why was he considered the most suited and talented man ever to be Viceroy?
Educated in Eton and Balliol College, Oxford
Travelled extensively in the East in the late 1880s-90s
Developed passion for Indian archaeology and culture
Worked in Whitehall as under-secretary of state for India and in the Foreign Office
Although what were Curzon’s political view of India?
He was a major imperialist and had the traditional view of India as the ‘jewel in the imperial crown’.
While Viceroy, what did he do regarding administrative procedures?
(Success)
Appointed special commission to study administrative procedures and proposed office and procedural reforms that helped the administrative machine run smoother.
What did he create in 1901?
Success
Created the North-West Frontier, a new province carved out of the Punjab and bringing it directly under the control of the Viceroy.
What did he do regarding railways?
Success
Moved control of the Indian railway under control of its own board, enabling some 6,000 more miles of track to be laid by 1905
Who did he appoint regarding archaeology?
Success
A Director-General of archaeology, responsible for unearthing, preserving and conserving India’s cultural past.
How did he fail in some administrative reforms?
He wanted the Governors of Bombay and Madras to send their weekly reports to him instead of the Secretary of State for India and tried to administer every department and local government from his office.
What did he do in fear of Russian expansion?
Created a buffer zone along the Afghan frontier patrolled by local militias under British command and in 1901 transferred responsibility for this zone to the North-West Frontier province
Directed British troop commanders to push the frontier up to that of the Chinese Sinkiang, almost doubling the size of Kashmir
Claimed that the Dalai Lama was seeking Russian aid and convinced Whitehall of the necessity of taking over Tibet and added it to Britain’s sphere of influence in 1904.
When did Britain begin to feel alarmed by Curzon’s actions?
After the occupation of Tibet in 1904, images of blood soaked monks fighting off the British invasion weren’t good advertisements for imperialism.
What did Curzon announce in 1905?
Against the advice of all his British and Indian officers, he announced the partition of Bengal into two provinces: Eastern Bengal and Western Bengal.
Why did Curzon decide to partition Bengal?
Bengal was large, unruly and difficult to administer, hence through Curzon’s reasoning of efficiency, he decided to partition it.
Why did Hindus oppose the Partition of Bengal?
It would create a Muslim dominated province - Eastern Bengal.
Why did Muslims tend to support the Partition?
It freed them from Hindu control in at least one of the two new provinces.
What did the partition result in?
Rioting and unrest in Bengal and other parts of India, ranging from violence to passive resistance.
A Bengali terrorist movement carried out a number of murders and a boycott of British goods was started.
Huge petition presented to Curzon urging him to stop, but he refused.
What had Curzon done ‘at a stroke’?
Sparked a national protest movement, introduced direct confrontation into British-Indian relationships, provoke sectarian conflict and suggest to the perceptive that partition was a ‘solution’ the British weren’t afraid to impose.
