Political and Administrative Integration of Princely States

This book is a pioneering endeavour to render an idea of the territorial unification of the native states and administrative amalgamation of Travancore and Cochin and Malabar, brought about in two stages. The princely states in India were not the creation of the British but had been the components of the imperial tradition built by mythological heroes as exemplified by the performance of horse sacrifice. The British, of course, rationalised their existence. After the exit of the British, the political unification of the princely states with the dominion of India, was achieved by resorting to the tactful but tacit use of the weapon of paramountcy which the British wielded but discarded. The durability of political or territorial integration, by and large, is to be sought in administrative amalgamation for which Kerala has been selected since it represents an ideal model for all princely states in the country. Travancore, the largest of the three components of Kerala, is the only native state which unlike others, had the maximum autonomy and a well designed and efficiently run administrative system which in the words of the Indian states finances enquiry committee was Sui Generis. Its fiscal management was exemplary and in many respects obviously superior to that of the Indian provinces. Perhaps no state in India paid so much, suffered so much and sacrificed so much for the unity of the country as it had. Its manifold losses still remain uncompensated and contributions to free India unrecognised. Communism in Kerala has been a broad excuse invented for continuing the centre’s cavalier treatment to the state. The self-assuming bureaucrats from New Delhi taking advantage of the administrative inexperience of the political leadership, dealt with the vital interests of the state curtly and arbitrarily. Neither a theory nor a formula was evolved for the administrative integration. The interesting diversities which would have contributed to administrative productivity and efficiency, were simply ignored emphasising on conformity and uniformity and goading the state to follow the practices of the center. The book seeks to present briefly the developments of a period significant to history and administration of the country.