Lord Lytton
Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 4 "The Colonial Era in India"
Meaning
Lord Lytton was Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880, which means he was the British Crown's top official in India. He governed during the Great Famine of 1876–78. He believed in the 'free market' idea, that the government should not interfere with trade or prices, even while millions starved. To many people his rule stands for colonial indifference to Indian suffering.
Example
At the height of the famine, Lytton ordered "no interference of any kind… with the object of reducing the price of food." At the same time he held the lavish Delhi Durbar, which ran from late December 1876 to 1 January 1877 and proclaimed Queen Victoria Empress of India. The note calls it a week-long feast for 68,000 officials, satraps and maharajas.
Don't confuse with
- Lord Lytton of the 1932 Lytton Commission: that was his son. He led the League of Nations inquiry into Japan's takeover of Manchuria. He was not the viceroy.
Related concepts
- Bengal famine of 1770
- Great Famine of 1876-78
- Famine Commissions
- Famine Code
- Colonial famines
- Bengal famine 1943