Q.71 Evaluate the policies of Lord Curzon and their long-term implications on the national movement. GS-I: HISTORY (UPSC CSE 2020) (150 Words/10 Marks)

Answer:

INTRODUCTION:

Viceroy Curzon (1899-1905) was a compulsive imperialist wanting to achieve too much in too little a time. His reactionary policies contributed to the rise of extremism preparing the ground for the Swadeshi Movement. In the longer run, it increased political consciousness encouraging a united front against the colonial government.

THE BODY:

Curzon’s Major Policies

• • Calcutta Corporation Act, 1899: The Act reduced the number of the elected representatives to the Calcutta The aim was to deprive Indians of self-governance and serve the interests of the European business community who complained of delay in grants of licenses.
  • Indian Official Secrets Act, 1904: The act was passed to maintain secrecy and confidentiality in governance, mostly on national security and espionage issues. It not only restricted the freedom of the press, but also enabled the colonial authorities to declare the leakage of information by someone illegal and punishable.
  • Indian Universities Act, 1904: The Act introduced a structure of election to the Senate in the Indian Universities. It gave the veto and overriding powers in the matters of all Indian Universities to the government increasing its control over the system of higher education.
  • Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904: This Act was passed to preserve the ancient monuments. The government got the power to acquire protected areas, and to regulate archaeological excavation anywhere in India.
  • Partition of Bengal, 1905: Bengal was divided, on the pretext of administrative convenience, in two separate provinces. The real motive was to check the rising tide of nationalism among the Bengalis. Curzon wanted to create a religious divide.

Implication of Curzon’s Policies

As a staunch imperialist and deeply racist Viceroy, Curzon displayed intolerance towards Indian political aspirations. He wanted to strangulate the national movement by all means. Therefore, he clearly said, “Congress is tottering to its fall, and one of my greatest ambitions while in India is to assist it to a peaceful demise.”

• • The steps taken by Curzon to curb political aspirations created resentment and a confrontation with the educated middle-class nationalists ensued.
  • The partition of Bengal paved the way for the rise of nationalism leading to a mass movement in the country. The Swadeshi Movement was an outcome of his ill-thought policies. It was probably the first large-scale movement after the revolt of 1857. The future movements such as Non-Cooperation were inspired by the Swadeshi Movement.
  • Communal politics started taking deep roots during Curzon’s tenure. He encouraged the formation of Muslim League to counter the rising influence of the Congress.
  • His reactionary policies encouraged revolutionary tendencies among the youth. It led to the emergence of many secret societies and revolutionary organizations such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar. They targeted unpopular officials and colonial agencies.

CONCLUSION:

The partition of Bengal and Curzon’s outrageous behaviour catalyzed the national movement. His policies, contradictory to his beliefs, strengthened and extended the reach of nationalism. He also ended up extending the clout of extremists and revolutionaries who did not believe in pleading and petitioning. The long-term effect of his policies was the subsequent withdrawal of the British government years later.