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British India |
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1784 India Act
In this Act the British government under the leadership of Pitt
the Younger took another step along the road to control India.
The Act said that:
- the work of trading had to be separated from
the work of ruling India
- a six-man Board of Control from the Privy
Council, headed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was to be appointed. This
meant that the Board of Control would change with the government.
- the ministerial board was to have sight of all the papers of the Company and was to issue orders to the directors
of the Company which they were bound, in practice, to obey. The Board of Control
could, in case of emergency, transmit the orders direct to India.
- the appointment of offices in India was retained
by the Company subject to the king's over-riding power to veto or remove
- the Governor-General in Calcutta and his council was given absolute power with regard to foreign policy over the other presidencies
in Bombay and Madras
- the Governor-General had the power to over-rule
his council (this came with an amendment in 1786)
- British subjects were made responsible to
English courts for wrongs done in India. All returning "nabobs" were to declare
their fortunes
This system of dual control between Company and
Crown worked for the next 75 years, until the Indian Mutiny. After that, parliament
took over complete responsibility for India.
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Last modified
13 February, 2019
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