Author: Vincent Arthur Smith

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2017-10-17

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13: 9780265414392

Excerpt from Indian Constitutional Reform: Viewed in the Light of History Recent events, and above all the Great War, fraught as it is with incalculable consequences, render a change in the method Of governing India imperative. That cardinal fact is acknowledged by me quite as heartily and sincerely as it is by Mr. Montagu and Lord Chelmsford. But I do not feel bound to admire the whole of their work or to accept their principles without demur. These principles, on the contrary, demand the most searching scrutiny and, in my personal Opinion, are largely erroneous. I agree that 'self-govern ment and the increased employment Of Indians in the public service, as stated in the 'pronouncement are Objects not only desirable, but attainable within certain limits. The emphasis laid upon those limits in this essay is imposed by the historical method of treatment and should not be misunderstood. It does not imply hostility to reasonable, practical reforms. I say frankly that I think it is a mistake to seek the distant goal Of responsible government' at present. The premature chase after 'responsible govern ment is the cause Of nearly all the illogical and contradic tory recommendations Of the Report, as its authors confess in paragraph 354. If they had postponed the consideration of responsible government' to a more convenient season they would have done much better. They have run to some extent ahead Of the 'pronouncement which they profess to follow. Responsible government in the English parlia mentary sense may or may not be a suitable goal' for Indian politicians, but, however that may be, it is better left alone just now. Even without it the reformers have plenty to do. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.