• Indians began to seen the British less as a civilising authority

Curzon:

• Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India, wished to keep India as part of British Empire

• His second term of office:

  • controversial n failed policies

  • contributed to Britain eventually losing India

  • wished to make India’s territory less vulnerable to external threats

  • wished to make British admin of India more efficient n more respected > less vulnerable to criticism n political threats

frontier policy:

• the great game: the spying and skirmishing that accompanied the continuing Russo-British rivalry and competition

• Curzon created a buffer zone between Indo-Gangetic plains and Afghan tribal areas

• image of a civilised, competent British Empire tarnished

  • British troops replaced by local warriors under Brit command

  • expedition led to find Russians who were apparently moving into Tibet

administrative policy:

• increased railway network by 10,000km

• increased irrigated land area by 3 million hectares

• established Criminal Investigation Dept/province

  • aimed to provide secret police reports on Indian political activities

• caused public controversy: inquiry into India’s state higher education, lack of Indians on inquiry committee

• Universities Act (1904): aimed to restrict growth in no. of priv colleges + inc. more centrally-nominated officials on larger university governing bodies

• growing Indian middle class perceived insult to their own capability

• resentment ready for resistance

development of congress to 1905:

• ensured there was genuine representation for all Indians

• had gained much popularity among educated and commercial middle class

• debated aims for India and demands it should make of the British government

partition of Bengal:

• causes:

  • opinion divided on motivation for partition plan

  • potensh coz Bengal admin had been problematic for a while

    • pop = 78mill

    • vulnerable to famine

    • prone to unrest

  • success n confidence of Congress + discontent among educated Bengalis > disturbed British

• partitions:

  • lack of formal consultation with Indians and Bengalis

  • despite this, plan approved by secretary of state n came into effect on 16th Oct. 1905

• reaction:

  • created precedent for reorganisation of territory n government along religious lines

  • Bengali Hindus outraged by attempt to divide and rule

  • Muslims were delighted with the majority in the new eastern province > power base for elections

national protest:

• educated middle class and peasant-worker protesters came together

• swadesh:

  • seized the national imagination to create feelings of self-respect

  • included boycott of buying British goods n Lancashire cotton particularly

  • partition anniversary : ‘annual day of mourning’

• terrorism:

  • increased terrorist activity in Bengal

  • 1908: two European women killed in place of local judge

  • 1909: Punjabi seeking political martyrdom shot official at India Office in London

  • problem for the peaceful protesters of Congress

Summary - India, 1914:

• Curzon

  • ‘imperial mission’

    • improvement & development

    • mixture of confidence and insecurity

      • partition of Bengal?

• small British presence

• rising demands for self gov

  • Congress

  • Muslim League

  • moderates

  • militants - flirting with violence as a means

• Princes

• track record of development n success