Question

Give a brief account on the expansion policies of the British government in India with reference to Robert Clive and Lord Dalhousie.

Answer 1

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.His achievements included checking French Imperial ambitions on the Coromandel Coast and establishing EIC control over Bengal, thereby taking the first step towards establishing the British Raj, though he worked only as an agent of the East India Company, not the British government.

Answer 2

The British East India company came to India in 1600s. Their main intention was to trade with Indian merchants. But later they started ruling India by annexing the Indian states through various policies.

Conquest of Bengal by Robert Clive:

• Robert Clive was appointed as Governor of Bengal by East India company.

• East India company wanted to replace Siraj Ud Daula, Nawab of Bengal with a puppet ruler.

• For this, Robert Clive bribed Mir Jafar, commander of Bengal.

• He also promised that Mir Jafar will be next Nawab of Bengal.

• Battle of Plassey was fought between British and Siraj Ud Daula with his French allies in 1757.

• In this battle, Siraj Ud Daula and his allies were defeated.

• After battle of Plassey, Britishers took the control over Bengal.

Later on, Battle of Buxar, Anglo Mysore Wars, Anglo Sikh wars, Conquest of Awadh etc took place through Divide and Rule policy.

Other annexation policies:

• Britishers introduced Subsidary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse.

• Through these policies, Britishers conquered many territories of Indian Sub-continent.

Subsidary Alliance:

• Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley.

• According to this policy, a kingdom must accept the subsidy of Britishers.

• It means the king should allow the troops of Britishers and pay taxes to them.

• Nizam of Hyderabad was the first ruler who accepted Subsidiary Alliance.

• Marathas, rulers of Mysore, etc were the others who accepted this policy.

Doctrine of Lapse:

• Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie in 1853.

• According to this policy, kingdom without any natural heir will be annexed by Britishers.

• Adopted heirs are not considered as the rulers.

• States of Satara was the first kingdom which was annexed through this policy.

• Other kingdoms were Jhansi, Nagpur, Jaipur etc.