Question

Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of _______________
A)Conquest
B)Lapse
C)Law
D)Provincial Autonomy

Answer 1

Hint: Lord Dalhousie, the name was James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, he had been a famous Scottish Statesman and was the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856.

Complete answer: The idea of the doctrine was developed by the court of directors of the East India Company, in 1834. In 1859, The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy extensively applied by East India Company in India. Before, the doctrine of Lapse was introduced the princely states used a method of adoption for selecting a prince. If the ruler died before adopting a successor, one of his widows could adopt an heir, who would immediately accede to the throne. The adopted child would cut all ties with his birth family. Once the Doctrine of Lapse came into place the following features were now faced by the Indian rulers. According to this doctrine, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom. The adopted son would only inherit his step father’s personal property and estates. any princely state under the direct or indirect control of the East India Company, should the ruler not produce a legal male heir, would be annexed by the company.
Options A, C and D can be eliminated easily. Option b is the right answer.

Note: Annexation comes from a Latin word nexus meaning to join. Which means to acquire one’s territory forcibly and is different from Cession, that is the assignment of property to another entity.