The Role of Lord Dalhousie in the Revolt of 1857

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James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, better known as Lord Dalhousie was a Scottish Statesman and colonial administrator in British India. Elected into the British Parliament at the young age of 25, Dalhousie was appointed the Governor-General of India in 1847. He ruled India about eight years from 1848 to 1856 and it was one of the greatest periods for British rule. He was denounced by many in England and India as having failed to notice the signs of the brewing Indian Rebellion of 1857, having aggravated the crisis by his overbearing self-confidence, centralizing activity, and expansive annexations. In contrast to many of the past leaders of the British Empire in India, he saw himself as an Orientalist monarch and believed his rule was that of a modernizer, attempting to bring the English intellectual revolution to India. A staunch utilitarian, he sought to improve Indian society under the prevalent Benthamite ideals of the period. However, in his attempt to do so he ruled with authoritarianism, believing these means were the most likely to increase the material development and progress of India. His many policies, contributed to a growing sense of discontent among sectors of Indian society and therefore greatly contributed to the Great Indian Uprising of 1857, which directly proceeded his departure from India. The Doctrine of Lapse, is a major reason for the distrust, and resentment of Indians towards him. It caused suspicion and uneasiness in the mind of almost all ruling princes in India. Under the doctrine, any princely state or territory would automatically be annexed if the ruler was either "manifestly incompetent or died without a direct heir." The British uprooted the long-established right of an Indian sovereign without an heir to choose a successor. In addition, the British decided whether potential rulers were competent enough. The doctrine and its
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