05 - Lord Clive by Thomas Babington Macaulay

Robert Clive, often regarded as the architect of British power in India according to historian Thomas Macaulay, played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent’s future. Serving on the Governor’s Council in India from 1834 to 1838, Macaulay championed legal and educational reforms, believing that British control was a civilizing mission intended to eliminate India’s perceived backwardness and superstition while introducing a refined English culture. This perspective is vividly expressed in both his essay on Clive and his analysis of Warren Hastings. However, it’s important to acknowledge that many Indians have historically held a contrasting view of this colonial narrative. (Nicholas Clifford)