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Legacy of British Rule

April 15, 2020 by BureaucratONE Leave a Comment Last Updated April 15, 2020

Table of Contents hide
1 Themes of FAQ
2 Legacy of British Rule in Public Administration
2.1 Context in which Br B'y was created
2.2 Objective of Br
2.3 Character of Br Rule
2.4 Impact on LEJ
2.5 Impact on Bureaucracy

Themes of FAQ

  • Legacy in Public administration
    • Indianisation of public service
    • Revenue Administration
    • District Administration
    • Features of British administration that are practiced even now
      • Unity of Indian administration
      • Rational-legal authority
      • Centralization of Administration - RAO 1773
    • Br Legacy in Judicial Administration
    • Generalist - Neutralist Model
    • Macaulay's idea of elitist ICS and its negative impact in present times
  • Legacy in Local Self Government
    • Lord Ripon as prophet of LSG
    • Negative impact on Village Self-rule
    • Evolution of LSG
  • Legacy in Politics
    • Evolution of polity since British rule
    • Parliamentary system of democracy
      • Charter Act of 1853
      • Cabinet Committees
    • Contradiction of Philosophy of Westminster Model with political culture of India

Legacy of British Rule in Public Administration

Context in which Br B'y was created

  • weak central power
  • Dependent on regional powers
  • inward looking society - feudalism
  • divided by language, colour, race, religion & region
  • economically backward

Objective of Br

  • Political ambition followed economic success - Flag Followed trade
  • Revenue - Economic Exploitation
  • L & O - Political Subjugation

Character of Br Rule

  • Absentee Sovereignty
  • Racial Superiority
  • Narrow base of Admins
  • Exclusion in Political Admin

Impact on LEJ

  • L - Political Legacy
    • Written Constitution
    • Parliamentary D'y
    • Bicameralism - GOI 1919
    • Portfolio System - ICA - 1861 by Canning
    • Cabinet System
    • Committee System - GOI 1935
    • 3 -Tier System - Royal Commission of 1907 for self-rule
  • J - Judicial Legacy
    • Rule of Law
    • Anglo Saxon tradition
    • codification of law - CRPC
    • Integrated J
    • Hierarchy of Court
  • E
    • Highly Centralised
    • DOP - Federalism - 1935
    • L & O focused

Impact on Bureaucracy

  • Positive
    • Merit
    • Neutrality - stable & smooth transfer of power
    • Generalist
    • Tenure System - C & S - P.f & P.i
    • District as fundamental Unit of Governance
      • DC - Keystone admin
      • Mai Baap State (dependent for basic needs)
    • Elaborate and independent Civil Service system - recruitment, training, posting, promotions
  • Negatives
    • Authoritarian Mentality
      • rule the subjects than serving the citizens
      • inaccessible
      • ivory tower mentality
    • Status Quo Mentality
      • Preserve the system than catalyst of change
    • Resistant to Grassroot power decentralization
      • Reporting relationship with LSG
    • Elitist
      • Hierarchy & Class Conscious
      • Work above than with people
    • Status Conscious
      • Rural posting as punishment posting
    • Accountability to superior not people
    • Generalist not specialist
    • Dependency Syndrome

Filed Under: Public Administration

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