Principle Of Lapse - General Knowledge of Modern India
The Doctrine of Lapse was a pro-imperialist approach aimed at expanding British territory in India. This theory was started by Lord Dalhousie. According to this principle, those states, which had no hereditary heir, lost their right to rule.
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Prior to 1818 AD, the policies and activities of the East India Company were commercial and not that of a sovereign ruler, but thereafter their ambition turned into a desire to rule the whole of India, culminating in the first subsidiary alliance system and now the lapsed doctrine. Got to see the purpose of adopting these policies was to establish control over the entire rights of the state and make them a British colony. The main complication was with the states which had no successor. The policy of lapse was made to usurp such states. Under this policy, the right to rule was taken away from such states, on the basis of not having a successor. The following states were merged with the British Empire by Dalhousie on the basis of the principle of lapse:
- Satara(1848 AD)
- Jaipur (1849 AD)
- Sambalpur (1849 AD)
- Bahat (1850 AD)
- Udaipur(1852 AD)
- Jhansi(1853 AD)
- Nagpur (1854 AD)
But after some time, due to the provisions of this policy, there was a lot of anger among the public and the great revolutionary Surendra Desai of Orissa raised his voice against the principle of lapse. Later on, this fury prepared the basis for the revolt of 1857 AD.
Key Points Of The Principle Of Lapse.
- The policy of expanding British territory in India on the basis of pro-imperialist approach.
- If there is no successor in any state, then merge it with the British Empire.
- Prohibition on adoption of children for succession.
- Prohibition on giving title and pension to children adopted by rulers.
- The adopted child inherits only the personal property of the ruler.
- Abolition of titles and pensions.
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Modern India