A Study Of Adjustment In British Policy On India In Pitt's Administration

India colony was an outstanding one in numerous Britain colonies.So Britain paid much attention to the ruling policy in it. With the changesof social circumstance, Britain adjusted its policy in India when needed.Therein, the adjustments of Pitt's administration had typical meanings,which exerted a far-reaching influence on both Britain and India.Therefore, it is of great value to study the adjustments in this period.There are three parts in this article to describe the adjustments.The first part introduces the background of the adjustments.There are three factors enforcing Britain's adjustments in India.First, the American Revolution caused the First British Empire'scollapse. After summarizing the lessons in North America, Britaindecided to strengthen the control in India. Second, with thedevelopment of Industry Revolution, the dependence on overseasmarket of Britain strengthened, while at the same time Britain had justlost the colony of North America. Then its interest shifted from Americato India, which made the importance of India strengthened. Meanwhile,the governance of Company in India was much corrupted, so theposition of Britain in India did not consolidated and the India situationwas urgent. So, the adjustments in the policy of Britain on India becamenecessary; Third, the Whigs, which represented industrial andcommercial capitalist, and the Tory, which represented the land nobleclass, launched fiercely struggles in political fields. Reflected on theIndian questions, those political struggles raised the degree of Indianproblem's difficulty. So the adjustments on the British policy in India ofPitt administration's period reflected the strength of the each civilpolitical.The Second part is the main body of this article, which explaines theconcrete contents of the adjustments of the British policy to India inPitt's administration.The adjustments embodied Pitt's India Act of 1784 and the East IndiaCompany Act of 1786 , followed by a series of reforms according to thespirits of these two acts. Speaking in a specific way, there are fouraspects. First, Britain government strengthened the control over Indianaffairs. The importance of India impelled Britain to make the Indianaffairs under its control. Britain government controlled Indian affairsmainly through Board of Control, which had realized the importance ofcontrol over Indian affairs by checking and proposing the policy ofIndian affairs. In addition, by grasping the appointment and replace rightof Indian high-ranking officials, Britain obtained the leadership on Indianaffairs. But the adjustment did not make the India affairs under theBritain thoroughly; it still retained the right of monopolized trade anddaily administrative power to the Indian affairs to the company.Second, Britain government strengthened the concentrating leadershipon British territorial possessions. It was not long when Britain set up hisdirect government in India, but its position was not consolidated enough.At the beginning of the 1780's, a situation arose that Indian maharajacombined to resist Britain. So strengthening and concentrating Britainstrength in Indian is needed to consolidate the governance of Britain.British government strengthened the control on British territorialpossessions behave mainly in two aspects: Firstly, strengthen thegovernor's power; Secondly, strengthen Bengal authority over Madrasand Bombay. The East India Company Act of 1786 authorizedgovernor-general the power over his council. Bengal was alsoauthorized the power to manage the affairs of Madras and Bombay,thus the British territorial possessions concentration came true. Thirdly,implement neutral policy in India. Neutral policy is not an original idea ofBritain, it is just a makeshift, preparing for a better expansion in future.Because of its limited strength at that time, it was disadvantageous forBritain to implement the policy of war and expansion. Fourth, implementa regular land tax system. The implementation in Pitt's administrationland tax system was a permanent settlement, which not only madeBritain get a steady source of tax, but also bring up one social stratumsupporting Britain's rule in India and promote the development ofIndian's social production. So it has played an important role for theBritish governmental consolidation. The third part of the article is the appraisal for adjustment on Britishpolicy in India of Pitt's administration period. The adjustments exerted a far-reaching influence on both Britainand Indian. As to Britain, it strengthened the authority over Indian affairsand help make British territorial possessions centralized unifiedleadership and implement neutral policy and Permanent Settlement, itspurpose was to consolidate and strengthen the position and interest ofBritain in India. The adjustment not only made Britain bring up a socialstratum -New Zamindars-who supported Britain's rule in India, but alsomade India a more enormous market for goods of Britain and rawmaterial -producing area and promoted the development of industrialrevolution. Meanwhile, this adjustment accelerated the process ofIndia's colonizing. For Britain from politics, economically controlled Indiaand prepared the condition finally. As to India, it lost the independenceof political and economic, totally became the dependencies of Britain.The purpose of the adjustment in Britain policy on India during the Pitt'sadministration are to consolidate and strengthen the Britain governance.