06-12-2024
09:31 AM
Prelims: History of India & Indian National Movement.
Mains: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
The Dual government in Bengal was implemented in 1765 by Robert Clive, the Governor Presidency of Fort William in Bengal. This system of dual administration divided the governance of Bengal into Diwani and Nizamat. The Diwani focused on revenue collection by the British East India Company, and the Nizamat dealt with law and order placed under the Nawab.
The dual government in Bengal allowed the Company to exercise its control without direct responsibility. It led to severe administrative failure, economic exploitation of the masses and social unrest. Finally, the system was abolished in 1772 by Governor General Warren Hastings for better governance in Bengal.
The dual administration system in Bengal was introduced after the Battle of Buxar. This battle reshaped the power dynamics between native rulers and the British East India Company. The Company won the battle leading to the signing of the Treaty of Allahabad with Shah Alam II in 1765. Under this treaty, the British got the Diwani rights over Bengal and the right to collect taxes and administer the territory.
The Battle of Buxar was fought on October 22, 1764, between the combined armies of the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim; the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula; and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, with the English forces under Major Hector Munro. The British East India Company won the battle, making them the dominant power in Bengal.
After the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765, Robert Clive introduced the Dual Government system in Bengal, where both the Nawab and the British East India Company played a role in governance. While the Company exercised control over revenue collection (Diwani), judicial and police powers (Nizamat) were nominally left with the Nawab. To manage the administration, Clive appointed deputies, known as Naib Diwan and Naib Nazim.
With the dual government administration, the company retained the actual sovereign power of ruling Bengal, while the Nawab appeared to be the authority. The Nawab, being the Nizam, had the duty of administration but did not have the resources to discharge it. The Nawab also bore the brunt of bad governance as most administrative actions and decisions were carried out in his name.
Robert Clive was instrumental in establishing British dominance in Bengal. He fought the Battle of Buxar and signed the Treaty of Allahabad in 1965, obtaining the Diwani rights over Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. Robert Clive led to the establishment of the dual government in Bengal, making the Nawab only a nominal head. Clive focused more on maximising the company's revenue collection through the system.
The dual system led to an administrative collapse and affected the people of Bengal. Neither the Company nor the Nawab emphasised administration and public welfare.
In 1772, Governor-General Warren Hastings abolished the Dual Government of Bengal. The system had failed to deliver efficient governance, leading to widespread administrative breakdown, economic hardship, and social unrest. The division of responsibilities between the British East India Company and the Nawab caused confusion, corruption, and mismanagement. Hastings recognized that it was unsustainable to maintain separate control of the Diwani and Nizamat.
Q1. Who introduced the system of Dual Government in Bengal?
Ans. The dual Government of Bengal was introduced by Governor General Robert Clive in the year 1765.
Q2. What are the diwani and Nizamat rights?
Ans. Diwani refers to the right to collect revenue, while Nizamat refers to judicial and police powers.
Q3. What were the effects of dual government in Bengal?
Ans. The Dual Government led to administrative inefficiency, corruption, economic distress, and social unrest.
Q4. Who abolished dual government in Bengal?
Ans. Governor-General Warren Hastings abolished the Dual Government in 1772.
Q5. What were the main characters of the dual government in Bengal?
Ans. The Dual Government in Bengal featured a division of powers between the British East India Company and the Nawab. The Company controlled revenue collection through Diwani, while the Nawab retained nominal authority over judicial and police matters through Nizamat.
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