SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This is a study of some aspects of Lord Lytton's social and economic policy. Lytton was very anxious to reduce, if not totally abolish, the cotton duties. His anxiety was due primarily to his wish to help the Conservative Party through this tariff reform. Besides, he believed in the economic wisdom of free trade principles. It was "because of his belief in the latter principles that he did not allow any interference in the free play of private trade during the famine in Bombay and Madras. In addition, he wanted the two famines to be managed as economically as possible, for he knew that unless there were a surplus, he could not reduce the cotton duties. This, in its turn, led to much trouble between the Supreme Government and the two Presidency Governments. The chief aim of Lytton's social policy was his belief in the wisdom of befriending the Indian aristocracy. With this purpose in view, he constituted the statutory Civil Service, which was to attract and employ the sons of rich and influential Indians. At the same time, his action in the Puller Case demonstrated that he was not prepared to tolerate the ill-treatment of Indians, especially the lower classes, by the Europeans resident in India. But he was disposed to regard the educated Indians with suspicion, for they were the authors of the semi-seditious articles in the vernacular Press. And to curt this, he passed the Vernacular Press Act. This study is based on Lord Lytton's private papers, as well as on official archives, contemporary newspapers and published books.