A critical examination of the roles of Clive, the East India Company and Hastings in the expansion of the empire in India

The East India Company was originally incorporated as an English Joint Stock company with the overriding objective of initiating British trade objectives in the East Indies. The company’s evolution from trading corporation into a central vehicle for expanding the British Empire in India in particular placed the company in a unique position of being a corporate entity ruling a country , creating an inherent conflict with the powers of the executive, whilst simultaneously furthering British political objectives in the East.

It has been argued that the role of the East India Company in the expansion of the British Empire directly correlates to the activities of key individuals such as Robert Clive and Lord Hastings and the focus of this analysis is to critically evaluate the roles of Clive, the East India Company and Lord Hastings in the expansion of the Empire in India. To this end, it is submitted that it is vital to consider the historical backdrop and evolution of the Company from trading entity to leading military strategist for the British objectives in expanding political and economic control in India.

[...] Whilst the Crown and Government was happy to use the company’s existing presence in India to further goals and exploit the talents of Clive’s military foresight, the correlation of the Company’s economic health on the nation meant that the East India Company and Clive’s role was inherently limited to operating within a government controlled framework in empire expansion. Nevertheless the significance of Clive’s decision to drive the company’s military strategy in the region cannot be underestimated in terms of the empire expansion in the region, which is further evidenced by the British position in China. [...]

[...] Pownall, Thomas, The right, interest and duty of government, as concerned in the affairs of the East Indies, (revised edition, 1781), pp.3, 26-7, quoted in Bowen (2006) op. cit at p.10 (Chapter 1). Bowen (2006) op.cit at p.19 (Chapter 1). Ibid. Ibid at p.ix Ibid at p.5. Ibid. Bayly et al (1998) op.cit at p.8 & 69 (Chapters 1 & 3). Ibid at p.8. Bowen (2006) op.cit at p (Chapter 1). Ibid at pp.10-16 (Chapter 1). Ibid at p.12 (Chapter 1). [...]

[...] I shall then conclude with an overview of the interrelationship between Clive, Hastings and the East India Company in the expansion of the British Empire in India. Section Background Analysis & Overview In Pirenne’s “History of the Universe”, he comments that the middle of the seventeenth century, Asia still had a far more important place in the world than Europe[2]”. This was primarily due to the trading opportunities offered in India and China, which the British and their European counterparts wanted to exploit for profit and increasing political control in the race for empire[3]. [...]