Conclusion

Summary

Residents succeeded in devising strategies to build their credit within the Company and to cement their influence at court, based on broad similarities in how British and Indian social and political life were structured. Yet, this process was rocky and fraught with difficulty. The controversies that plagued the early Residency system reveal conflicting visions about the basis and legitimacy of Company power in the subcontinent and provide powerful illustrations of how ideological questions manifested themselves in the routine business of empire. Even where Company policy was clear, translating these policies into practice was easier said than done, and the gap between ideals and reality produced recurring tensions between the governor-general-in-council, who issued the instructions, and the Resident, who was responsible for making them happen. The relationships that developed between Residents and the Indian courtly elite were equally troubled. While Residents devoted a great deal of time and energy to harnessing the influence and expertise of courtly elites, they also inspired widespread opposition. Loyalties were rarely set in stone, and individuals who had previously shown an unwillingness to work with the Resident were apt to change tactics if the stakes were high enough, while those who had previously supported the Company could and did revolt if the opportunity presented itself. The picture of Company paramountcy that emerges is one which is far more contingent and fragmentary than previously thought. Still, this political framework endured up until Indian independence, and it did so through the combination of intelligence gathering, violence, gift-giving, and patronage outlined in this book.