Table of Contents
APPROACH
Introduction: The tenure of Lord Curzon.
THE BODY
- Policies of Lord Curzon.
- Implications of his policies on the national movement.
CONCLUSION
His divide and rule proved inimical for the unity of India and it led to the partition of the country.
Probably the most controversial but an egoist Governor General, Lord Curzon was appointed in 1899. He wanted to reform Indian administration and education. Curzon was an imperialist; after his arrival in India, he inherited a turbulent tribal population in the north west, then he faced a famine which was badly handled by him but the most detested act from the Indian perspective was the partition of Bengal.
1. Bengal was partitioned in 1905 with a purpose to divide the Hindu majority, West Bengal from the Muslim majority, East Bengal, the move was seriously resented by the Indian middleclass. This act of partition was divide and rule in principle. The practice of division started at the time of Dufferin itself.
2. The long- time impact of this division was the beginning of a strategy; the immediate result was the start of Muslim League in 1906, this led to communal representation from the government of India Act 1909. The ultimate result of this policy was the partition of the country.
3. The Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904 to restrain the Press, this was again a step of imperial design which could have been conceived only by conservative prime minister and a conservative
4. Curzon was concerned about Indian education.The Universities Act was passed in 1904, then the Raleigh University Commission was constituted in 1902. Curzon wanted to reform education and for that he organized a conference at Shimla. Archaeological Survey of India was constituted by an Act.
5. In 1903 the second Delhi Darbar was held at Delhi to celebrate the coronation of Edward VIIth. This created the background for the transfer of capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. In a sense he made Delhi the real power centre. A Police Commission under Andrew Frazer was constituted in 1902.
Curzon was a conservative, intelligent, smart and a feudal. He thought of protecting the most prestigious asset of British possession of India, he resisted the Russian influence in the middle east. He was an aspirant to become the prime minister of England and a practitioner of the policy of divide and rule. This proved inimical for the unity of India and it led to the partition of the country.
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