Administrative Supremacy Theory of Colonialism: British Corporate Governance and the Replacement of Indian Monarchical Rule
Administrative Supremacy Theory of Colonialism: British Corporate Governance and the Replacement of Indian Monarchical Rule Abstract The British colonization of India is often analyzed through military, economic, and political lenses. However, this paper argues that a crucial, yet underexplored, factor in British success was their superior administrative structure. The East India Company (EIC) functioned as a bureaucratic institution with scalable governance processes, contrasting with Indian monarchies that relied on personal rule, feudal loyalties, and inconsistent revenue models. This paper introduces the Administrative Supremacy Theory of Colonialism, which posits that British success in India resulted from their ability to out-administer traditional Indian states. By systematically replacing hereditary governance with corporate-style management, the British established an enduring administrative framework that outlasted colonial rule itself. --- 1. Introduction 1.1. Backgroun...