what was the doctrine of lapse and how did it affect the ruler of India
Answers
The Doctrine of Lapse policy was introduced by the British Governor General, Lord Dalhousie in early 1850’s as part of the ongoing efforts of the English East India Company (EEIC) at empire building in the sub-continent. The essence of the policy was this- If a native ruler did not have any issues and he adopted a son to secure the line of succession, the latter had no rights to his estate or pension in case of the former’s demise. It struck a blow at the time honoured political tradition of a ruler ensuring continuity of hereditary rule by adoption.
Effectively, this policy took away all sovereign rights of a local ruler, making him hopelessly dependent on the British. Using this law as an excuse, the British annexed the Bhonsla kingdom of Nagpur and smaller states like Satara, Jhansi and Sambhalpur. Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Bajirao II, was denied pension benefits by virtue of his status. The implementation of this policy , with its overt attempts to humiliate the ruler, as happened in Nagpur, led to much heart burning amongst the royal families who were victims of this law. It was, in many ways, harsher than the subsidiary alliance concept introduced by Dalhousie’s predecessor, Lord Wellesley. Under the terms of this alliance, the local ruler was permitted a measure of internal autonomy and he had to maintain a large standing British army at his own expense. He was also entitled to a pension which benefit could be claimed by his successor. The ruler’s relations with his counterparts in other states were regulated by the British. In return, the British guaranteed the ruler’s sovereignty and the security of his state.