Masterly Inactivity, Proud Reserve and the North-West Frontier

At a Glance

• What it is British policies for the north-west frontier and Afghanistan after the First Afghan War
• Lawrence (1864-69) Masterly inactivity
• Lytton (1876-80) Proud reserve
• Curzon (1899-1905) Withdrawal and concentration; North-West Frontier Province
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Extension of British Paramountcy

Where Does It Fit?

This is the eighth and last topic of the category on the extension of British paramountcy. The previous topics covered the neighbours one by one. This topic gathers the policies by which viceroys managed the north-west frontier and the tribes between the Indus and Afghanistan. The next category covers the people’s resistance to Company rule before 1857. Previous topic: Anglo-Tibetan and Anglo-Afghan Relations.

What Was John Lawrence’s Policy of Masterly Inactivity?

John Lawrence, Viceroy from 1864 to 1869, started a policy of masterly inactivity. It was a reaction to the disasters of the First Afghan War and an outcome of practical common sense and an intimate knowledge of the frontier problem and of the Afghan passion for independence. Even when Dost Mohammed died in 1863, there was no interference in the war of succession.

Lawrence’s policy rested on two conditions: that the peace at the frontier was not disturbed, and that no candidate in the civil war sought foreign help. As Sher Ali established himself on the throne, Lawrence tried to cultivate friendship with him.

His biographer R.B. Smith described the policy as one of self-reliance and self-restraint, of defence not defiance, of waiting and watching so that he might strike harder, and in the right direction, if the time for aggressive action should ever come. The First Afghan War is told in Anglo-Tibetan and Anglo-Afghan Relations.

What Was Lytton’s Policy of Proud Reserve?

Lytton, a nominee of the Conservative government under Benjamin Disraeli (1874-80), became Viceroy of India in 1876. He started a new foreign policy of proud reserve, aimed at having scientific frontiers and safeguarding spheres of influence. According to Lytton, relations with Afghanistan could no longer be left ambiguous.

The war that followed and the later policy of Ripon, who kept Afghanistan as a buffer state, are taken up in Anglo-Tibetan and Anglo-Afghan Relations.

How Did British Rule Reach the North-West Frontier?

Successive Indian rulers had tried to reach this region, lying between the Indus and Afghanistan, in their search for a scientific frontier. The conquest of Sindh in 1843 and the annexation of Punjab in 1849 carried British boundaries beyond the Indus, as told in Rise of the Talpur Amirs and the Conquest of Sindh and Second Anglo-Sikh War, 1848-49, and the Annexation of Punjab. It brought the British into contact with the Baluch and Pathan tribes, who were mostly independent, though the Amir of Afghanistan claimed nominal suzerainty over them.

What Is the Durand Line?

During 1891-92 the British occupation of Hunza and Nagar in the Gilgit valley, passes commanding communications with Chitral, alarmed Abdur Rahman, Amir of Afghanistan. A compromise was finally reached by drawing a boundary line known as the Durand Line between Afghan and British territories. The Amir received some districts and his subsidy was increased.

But the Durand Agreement of 1893 failed to keep peace, and soon there were tribal uprisings. To check these, a permanent British garrison was established at Chitral and troops were posted to guard the Malakand Pass, but tribal uprisings continued till 1898.

What Was Curzon’s Frontier Policy?

Curzon, Viceroy between 1899 and 1905, followed a policy of withdrawal and concentration. British troops withdrew from advanced posts, which were replaced by tribal levies trained and commanded by British officers. He also encouraged the tribes to maintain peace. He created the North-West Frontier Province directly under the Government of India; earlier the region had been under the control of the Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab. The province was created in 1901.

Overall, Curzon’s policies resulted in a peaceful north-west frontier. The peaceful conditions continued thereafter with occasional tribal uprisings. In January 1932 it was announced that the North-West Frontier Province would be constituted as a Governor’s province. Since 1947 the province has belonged to Pakistan.

How Should These Policies Be Compared?

As an analytical point, the three policies of the frontier can be read as a swing. After the disaster of 1842, Lawrence chose caution. After Russian moves, Lytton chose assertion. Curzon then settled on a middle course, keeping control of the province but reducing exposed posts. The same pendulum appears in the earlier forward policy of Auckland.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Fixed pairs Lawrence with masterly inactivity and Lytton with proud reserve are standard Prelims pairs
• Direct facts The Durand Line, the NWFP and Curzon’s policy are asked often
• Mains theme The frontier shows how the British managed fear of Russia

What Came Next?

The next category begins with the people’s resistance to Company rule before 1857. Next topic: Genesis and Causes of People’s Resistance to Company Rule.

Key People and Terms

• Masterly inactivity John Lawrence’s policy of non-interference in Afghan affairs
• Proud reserve Lytton’s policy of scientific frontiers and spheres of influence
• Scientific frontier A frontier chosen for its strategic strength
• Durand Line The 1893 boundary between Afghan and British territory
• Tribal levies Local tribal forces trained by British officers
• North-West Frontier Province The province Curzon created under the Government of India

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions ask for the frontier policies of different viceroys. These points add depth.

• Policy follows events Each policy responded to a recent war or Russian move
• Border tribes Uprisings continued until 1898 despite the Durand Line
• Curzon’s settlement A province under the Government of India and tribal levies