Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c5.s3.31

c5.s3.31

Such an assessment of the situation was universally shared by the British in India and reflected in government policy and enactments. Consequently, devoid of any other sanction and legitimacy, except the ‘European regiments’ and the ‘impression of invincibility’, the British could not afford to make any concessions, much less surrender to popular protests. Concession of any sort, in their view, implied (as in the case of the protests against the house tax during 1810-11), ‘the exciting in the minds of the natives an expectation of still further concessions’ which eventually (they felt) led to the erosion of every principle of their government. Therefore, in situations when tactical concessions or surrender could not be avoided, these were to be carried ‘into execution, without compromising in too conspicuous a manner the authority of government.’