Lesson 3: The consequences of the uprising 1858-76

Question 1

Political Consequences

Answer 1

The Government of India Act (1858)
The rebellion exposed the East India Company’s (EIC) inability to govern effectively, leading to its abolition. The Government of India Act brought significant changes:
• Transfer of Power: All EIC territories in India and other colonies (e.g., Singapore) were transferred to the British Crown.
• Secretary of State for India: A new British Cabinet position took over EIC directors’ duties, aided by a 15-member advisory council.
• Governor-General and Viceroy: The British monarch appointed a Viceroy to oversee India, replacing Company-appointed officials.
• Indian Civil Service: A formal bureaucracy was created under the Secretary of State to administer India.

These reforms marked the start of the British Raj (1858-1947), solidifying India as a central part of the British Empire.

Question 2

Changes to Princely States

Answer 2

1. Abolition of the Mughal Empire:
   • Emperor Bahadur Shah was exiled to Rangoon (Burma), dying in 1862.
   
   2. End of Doctrine of Lapse:
      • The policy that allowed the British to annex princely states without male heirs was abolished. Princes could now appoint adopted successors, restoring a key traditional custom.
   3. Recognition of Loyal States:
      • Princely states that supported Britain were rewarded with autonomy over internal affairs.
      • Governance Model:
      • Major states like Hyderabad and Mysore were overseen by the Viceroy with British Residents stationed in capitals.
      • Medium-sized states had Agents reporting to provincial British administrators.
      • Smaller princely states were grouped into Agencies like Rajputana and Central India.

This system ensured the continued cooperation of princely states while consolidating British control.

Question 3

Military Reforms

Answer 3

1. Rebalancing the Army:
   • The ratio of British to Indian soldiers changed from 1:9 to 1:3, ensuring greater British dominance.
   • Artillery units were exclusively manned by British soldiers (except in remote frontier regions).
   
   2. ‘Martial Races’ Recruitment:
      • High-caste Brahmins of the Bengal Army were no longer trusted.
      • Recruitment shifted to “loyal” groups like Pashtuns, Sikhs, and Gurkhas.
   3. Restructuring Command:
      • Irregular regiments were introduced, giving Indian officers more responsibility and reducing resentment in the ranks.
      • British officers in these regiments worked more closely with Indian troops, fostering better relationships.

Question 4

Social Conservatism of the Raj

Answer 4

Post-rebellion, the Raj rejected the EIC’s liberal “Westernising” agenda:
• Policies promoting British customs, missionary work, and Western attire were halted.
• Indian social structures, traditions, and moral systems were preserved to avoid further unrest.
• Christianity, though considered superior, was no longer aggressively propagated by the state.

Question 5

Administrative Reforms

Answer 5

1. Indian Inclusion in Governance:
   • Indians were recruited for lower-level administrative roles, creating a middle class influenced by British education and ideas.
   • Higher positions in the Indian Civil Service remained largely inaccessible to Indians.
   
   2. Education and New Elite:
      • Universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras trained Indians in British systems, producing a new educated class.
      • This class would later play a key role in the independence movement.

Question 6

Economic Reforms

Answer 6

1. Land and Taxation Policy:
   • The zamindar-peasant system was reinstated in affected regions.
   • Britain acknowledged that direct taxation and land reforms had destabilized rural society, leading to rebellion.
   
   2. Infrastructure Development:
      • Railways expanded from 288 miles in 1857 to over 5,000 miles by the 1860s.
      • Irrigation systems, roads, canals, and telegraphic networks were extended.
   3. Famine Relief Limitations:
      • British intervention during famines remained inconsistent:
      • Successful relief efforts, like the 1874 Bihar famine, saved lives but were criticized as expensive.
      • In other cases, such as the Great Famine of 1876-78, policies prioritized free-market principles over human welfare, leading to millions of deaths.

Question 7

Impact on British Public Opinion

Answer 7

1. Support for Brutal Suppression:
   • Reports of atrocities committed by rebels, such as the Cawnpore massacre, inflamed public anger.
   • Sensationalized and fabricated stories fostered mistrust and hardened attitudes toward Indians.
   
   2. Racial Justification:
      • Indians were viewed as “barbaric,” justifying prolonged British control.
      • Terms like “sepoyism” became derogatory slurs for nationalist uprisings in other parts of the Empire (e.g., Ireland).
   3. International Reaction:
      • European powers and the U.S. supported Britain’s suppression, aligning with shared racial hierarchies.
      • However, independence movements in Ireland and parts of Europe (e.g., Hungary) expressed sympathy for Indian rebels.

Question 8

Limitations of British Reforms

Answer 8

1. Economic Priorities:
   • Infrastructure like railways prioritized resource extraction and military mobility over Indian welfare.
   
   2. Continued Famine Crises:
      • Poor governance and limited intervention caused repeated famines, leading to millions of preventable deaths.
   3. Taxation Burden:
      • Indian taxes funded the growing British military presence in India, diverting resources from public welfare.
   4. Delayed Representation:
      • While reforms created a new Indian elite, broader political representation remained decades away.

Question 9

Summary

Answer 9

The rebellion transformed British India into a Crown colony, bringing significant political, military, and economic changes. However, these reforms also set the stage for growing discontent, sowing the seeds of the independence movement in the 20th century.