Question

Explain the system of Dual Government.

Answer 1

Hint: Dual Government was established in the year 1765 and continued till 1772. It was established by the Governor of Bengal. The governor also initiated a Society of Trade in the year 1765.

Complete answer:
The governor of Bengal Robert Clive was under the administration during the year 1757 to 1760 and from 1765 to 1767. During the period of 1757 to 1760 the Bengal’s governor under the chairmanship of Nawab Mir Jaffar corruption was going on uncontrolled. The main motive of the company was only to maximize the revenue at the sacrifice of the peasants. Robert Clive gathered great prosperity on his personal property in India and after which returned to Britain in the year 1760.

In the year 1765 he returned to India again as the Governor and acted as the Commander-in-Chief in the state of Bengal. During the period there was still a lot of corruption in the state due to which he restricted any kind of private trade to the employees. Then, the battle of Buxar was fought in between the British and the forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja Ud Daulah, the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II which was won by the British.

In the year 1765, the result of this battle in which the company received the rights, i.e. Diwani which is a right to collect revenue of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and the Nawab of Bengal got the rights of the Nizamat which are the rights related to maintain peace and order and exemption of the criminal justice. Hence, the controlling authority of Bengal was parted under two heads – the first one was under the hands of the Nawab and the other one in the hands of the Company which is defined as the Dual system of Government.

As a result of this separation the welfare of the people was abandoned including involvement of harsh treatment to collect the revenue and pay high rates which was a failure of the system.

Note:
The dual government was abolished by Warren Hastings.
He was the first Governor General in Bengal during the year 1772 and served till the year 1785.
He supported Sir William Jones for the formation of Asiatic Society in Bengal in the year 1785.