Subsidiary Alliance : A Comprehensive Study
[Syllabus: UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination ➨ General Studies, Paper-1 ➨ History of Modern India ➨ Topic: European Penetration and the British Conquest of India ➨ Sub-Topic: Subsidiary Alliance]
(I) Introduction:
It was a treaty introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798 between the East India company and rulers of the princely states by virtue of which Indian states lost their sovereignty, independence, right to self defense and maintaining diplomatic relations with the other states. It enabled the British to dictate the terms of engagement for the native states and in the process consolidate their rule in India.
(II) Examples:
1. Hyderabad: The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to accept a well-framed subsidiary alliance in 1798.
2. Mysore: Tipu Sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore refrained from doing so, but after the British victory in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, Mysore became a subsidiary state before coming under Company rule.
3. Indore: The Holkar State of Indore was the last Maratha confederation to accept the Subsidiary Alliance in 1818.
(III) Features:
1. Garrison of British: The allies of the Indian state’s rulers were compelled to accept the permanent garrison of the British Army within their territories and to pay a subsidy for its maintenance.
2. Lack of Negotiating powers: They could not negotiate with any other Indian rulers without consulting the Governor-General.
3. British exclusivity: The Indian ruler could not employ any European in their service without prior approval of the British.
4. Lack of Sovereignty: In case of a conflict with any other state, the British would decide what to do, and he would accept their solution.
5. British Resident: Every State under subsidiary alliance had to have a British resident stationed at the court.
6. Territorial Annexation Clause: If the Indian rulers failed to make the payments required by the alliance, then part of their territory was to be taken away as a penalty.
(IV) Importance of The Subsidiary Alliance for the British:
1. Making Native Rulers Dependent: The alliance would deprive the rulers the means of taking any measures or of forming any confederacy against the British empire.
2. Removing Internal Threats: By the Subsidiary alliance, the native rulers could not keep standing armies and thus could never revolt or threaten the British in India.
3. Foreign Policy: It also gave the British powers to conduct foreign policy of the State and thus it could make sure that Indian rulers were not allying against the British.
4. Security to Empire: The subsidiary alliance helped the British to keep control over various factors in India like Native Kings and rulers who were frequently in conflict with the British Empire.
5. Cost of the Empire: Another key reason for the Alliance for the British was that the resources meant to undertake the alliance like the cost of keeping British troops in Native courts was borne by the native kings.
(V) Hidden Motives:
1. Territorial Expansion: Indian states became poor as the payment of the subsidies drained their resources. When the administration collapsed, the British annexed the states.
2. Consolidation: With annexation and influence in various states, the effective control of the subcontinent went to the British.
3. Buffer States: Subsidiary Alliance helped the British create Buffer states between them and other colonial empires especially France from whom the threat of aggression under Napoleon was imminent.
4. Extending British Influence: The influence of European rivals was excluded from the courts of Indian rulers.
(VI) Impact of the Doctrine:
A. British
1. Consolidation of the British Empire: The subsidiary alliance helped the British gain further territorial gains and influence without any military conflict.
2. Increase in Size of British Army: As native rulers began paying for stationing British troops, the British could not keep a very large army without even effectively paying for it.
3. End of other Colonial opponents: With subsidiary alliance other colonial nations like France, Holland and Portuguese lost their influence.
B. Native States
1. Drain of Native Wealth: Native rulers lost their wealth and economic sovereignty as British troops had to be maintained with large payments.
2. Loss of Livelihood: Many native soldiers lost their jobs due to disbanding of native armies and eventually some became “Pindarees” or thugs.
3. Humiliation: Loss of sovereignty over their traditional states, was humiliating to native Indian rulers who had been traditional heads for many centuries.
4. Loss of indigenous arts: With the ousting of native patrons, the traditional artisans found their craft in low demands and they became impoverished.
C. On India in General
1. War of 1857: One of the key reasons had been the removal of traditional kings and rulers due to non-payment of subsidies and replacement by the British.
2. Recognising British Exploitation: One of the early mandates of Congress had been the economic ruin of India which was partly due to the policies of the British like subsidiary alliance.
3. British Dependency: Due to this doctrine, the native states could not carry on diplomatic relations in a sovereign manner with neighbouring states.
4. Domestic Interference: Due to this treaty, the British were now able to fight wars and influence the outcome of conflicts as domestic wars between native rulers could be intervened by the British.
(VII) Conclusion:
The subsidiary Alliance proved to be one of the key reasons why British consolidation in India took place in the beginning of the 19th century in India, and laid the ground for the later British Empire.
