Speech on the East India Bill : Summary

Summary

Opening with a Serious Appeal for Reform: At the beginning of his speech, Edmund Burke thanks the Speaker and emphasizes the importance of the East India Bill. He reminds the House that this bill is not a matter of party politics or legal technicalities. It is about justice, humanity, and the reputation of the British nation. He says that three years of inquiry in Parliament and twenty years of suffering in India should lead to meaningful reform. Burke criticizes those who are opposing the bill for ignoring the real issues. Instead of thinking about the millions of Indian people or the proper use of British power, they are only discussing legal rights and political rivalries.

Purpose of the East India Bill: Burke supports Mr. Fox’s East India Bill because it seeks to transfer the power of governing India from the corrupt East India Company to a group of responsible commissioners chosen by Parliament. He claims that the East India Company has misused its power severely and caused immense suffering in India. Therefore, Parliament must take responsibility and correct this injustice. The bill proposes that seven commissioners will govern India for a term of four years. Burke argues that this is necessary because the Company cannot reform itself. Reform cannot come from those who caused the problem.

The Vastness and Richness of India: To make his point strong, Burke describes the size and importance of India. He states that British power now governs a territory of approximately 281,412 square miles. It is larger than any European empire except Russia and Turkey. Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa alone are bigger than France. He says around 30 million people are living under British control, which is much more than the population of Britain at that time. Burke praises the Indian people. He says they are civilized, cultured, and rich in history. India had noble princes, intelligent priests, and hardworking farmers. But British rule has ruined everything.

Systematic Betrayal of Indian Rulers: Burke makes three powerful accusations against the East India Company. First, every Indian prince they came into contact with was eventually sold or betrayed. Second, every treaty they made was broken. Third, every ally who trusted them was ruined. For example, the Great Mogul, once the ruler of India, was reduced to poverty. Though the Company still used his name on coins and in courts, they gave him no power or money. The Rohilla people were sold for £400,000 and then destroyed. Bengal saw rulers being bought and sold like goods. The Marattas, the Nizam, and even Hyder Ali were all betrayed after treaties were made.

The Brutality of the Company’s Rule in Provinces: Burke tells many horrifying stories to prove the Company’s cruelty. The Nabob of Oude was left helpless even when his people faced famine. Instead of helping, Warren Hastings threatened him. The province of Bengal, once rich, gave over £3 million yearly in revenue. However, in a few years, this was reduced to less than half due to plunder and destruction. People had to borrow money at high interest from moneylenders in Benares. Even landowners, farmers, and merchants were destroyed. One good ruler, Fizulla Khan, improved his land and population, but he was accused of treason and forced to pay £150,000 yearly. It was more than his land could produce.

Torture and Robbery of the Begums of Oude and Others: Burke condemns the actions taken against the Begums (royal women) of Oude. These elderly princesses were robbed of their property and treasures. The British forced their own son, the Nabob, to imprison and torture their agents to get their hidden wealth. Their possessions were secretly auctioned without proper legal records. Even the holy city of Varanasi, also known as Benares, was not spared. Its ruler, Rajah Cheit Sing, paid his tribute regularly. But Hastings falsely accused him and fined him a huge amount. When he refused, British troops attacked, and even the women and children of his palace were humiliated.

Economic Destruction of Indian Society: Burke vividly describes how the British destroyed the Indian economy. Bengal used to have wealthy merchants and farmers. But under British rule, all native traders disappeared. The land was auctioned to the highest bidder in 1772, and many noble families lost their entire estates. One of Hastings’s servants earned £140,000 per year from stolen lands. The Company cared only about getting money, not about justice or local traditions. Even in the judiciary, they replaced old systems with new ones that collected extra taxes from the people. The British did not build anything good. They only took money and left the land poor. This economic destruction should make us all feel the gravity of the situation.

Revenue Collection Policy of the Company: Burke strongly criticizes the Company’s revenue system. He says they appointed unqualified junior officers as judges and gave them the power to collect taxes. In 1772, six provincial councils were replaced by 18 new courts. They imposed heavy taxes of 2.5% and 5% on legal cases. The collected money was sent to Calcutta and controlled by the Chief Justice, who had no legal authority from the Crown, Parliament, or Company. Burke says that even the Company’s own directors didn’t know how much revenue was being collected. Their reports were reduced to one page, with no clear details.

Misuse of Chartered Rights: Burke explains that the East India Company often hides behind the term “chartered rights” to protect its power. However, he argues that these rights are not comparable to the rights outlined in Magna Carta. The Company’s rights are not natural rights. They are given by Parliament and must be used for the public good. If they misuse them, Parliament has the right to interfere. Burke says Parliament did not sell its control when it gave the Company power. It only gave authority, not freedom from responsibility. So, it is Parliament’s duty to take back power when that power is used for the wrong.

Burke’s Views on Hastings and His Associates: Burke directly attacks Warren Hastings and his supporters. He says Hastings used political power to steal money from Indian rulers. For example, Hastings attempted to obtain money from Rajah Cheit Sing not out of justice, but because the Company needed funds. He punished people without a trial and claimed that necessity justified all his actions. Burke calls this logic dangerous. He says that Hastings believed the richer a man was, the more guilty he must be. Burke also criticizes the support Hastings received from the Company directors in England. Instead of removing him, they praised him and asked him to stay.

The East India Company is Beyond Reform: Burke argues that the East India Company cannot be reformed because it protects the very people who have caused the problems. The directors and shareholders in England are under the control of corrupt officials in India. Even when Parliament asked the Company to remove Hastings and Hornby, the general court of the Company refused to do so. They did not even look at the reports or evidence. They prioritized their profits and political connections over justice. Therefore, Burke believes that the only solution is to completely remove the Company’s power and entrust it to new, honest commissioners.

At the end, the speaker praises the man who introduced the bill (Mr. Fox). He says Mr Fox risked his own political future to help India. Even if people criticize him now, future generations will remember him with honour. The speaker feels proud to have even a small part in ending this great tyranny.

Style of Expression: Burke’s speech is an excellent example of English prose. His language is powerful, emotional, and persuasive. He uses facts, real names, and numbers to make his points strong. His style includes long sentences, metaphors, and strong moral appeals. He compares the new bill to a “new Magna Carta” for India. He says the names of the reformers will be remembered in India and Heaven. He praises Mr. Fox as a true friend of justice and ends his speech with a vision of hope and gratitude. His oratory skill moves the audience to see the Indian people not as foreigners but as fellow human beings.