REFORMS are made to bring positive changes into society. History tells us that reforms that are not made with sincerity can destroy the best of nations. Carefully made reforms are the ones that help future governments or authorities a lot so that they could improve their societies.
Fortunately or unfortunately some countries in South Asia experienced quite a few coup d’etat and political interventions. This fact made many people come forward and help their respective nations. Therefore South Asian history is full of many political and administrative personalities who introduced best reform models for their region. Among such figures Lord Ripon is considered and admired as a good reformer, an ardent believer in peace and laissez-faire. As governor-general and viceroy (also ‘a true liberal of the Gladstonian era’) Lord Ripon introduced the best model for political and economic structure into the history of the subcontinent.
From an economic point of view, abolishment of import duties on various goods were introduced and reduction in salt tax throughout India made Lord Ripon famous in his time. To settle economic issues on a permanent basis, he suggested to maintain the existing revenue rather than increasing it, except on the ground of an increase in price. Secretaries of state at the time did not accept many of his suggestions, but Lord Ripon never hesitated to explore or to plan new things to economically empower the masses.
On the political front, Ripon’s policy of local self-government model was his biggest claim to fame. Besides assigning power and responsibilities to local bodies, municipalities by the Bengal Municipal Act of 1884 over the principle of election, he further divided municipalities into three classes in which members were elected by rent payers and the government respectively.
Paving the way for better infrastructures, district boards in different districts and local boards in subdivisions were established. With certain financial powers, the prime responsibility of these boards was to deal with local roads, education, sanitation, famine and relief etc to keep a check on boards’ affairs, and accountability was duly handled by the government through inspection or suspension in case of any default.
After realizing the fact that freedom of any kind, especially the one that created mass awareness, cannot be restricted, he restored the freedom of press for the people’s benefit. Journals and newspapers written in oriental languages on political and social taboos were widely encouraged.
As far as education is concerned, Lord Ripon appointed a commission called the Hunter Commission, headed by Sir William Hunter. The commission’s duty was to find out loopholes in the primary and secondary education system so that improvement could be made in the education sector.
Lord Ripon is equally admired in history for his social reforms. To eradicate judicial disqualifications on racial distinction he brought many changes into the system that did the people a world of good.
For the welfare of the masses Lord Ripon passed the Factory Act in 1880 that restricted the time of employment for children to nine hours a day.
In 1884 Lord Ripon retired from his office. In a short period from 1880 to 1884 the liberal reforms he had introduced purely based on noble causes and for making the people of the subcontinent prosper economically. In the history of British-ruled India, Lord Ripon will be remembered as an astute administrator.
REFORMS are made to bring positive changes into society. History tells us that reforms that are not made with sincerity can destroy the best of nations. Carefully made reforms are the ones that help future governments or authorities a lot so that they could improve their societies.
