The Morley Minto Reforms of 1909

THE MORLEY-MINTO REFORMS 1909
1. The reforms were necessary as partition was at its height and there was fear that there would be an upraising like that of the Great Rebellion 50 years prior. Ibbertson feared a conspiracy, murders and riots were frequent and there was fear that the Punjabi army was on the point of mutiny.
2. The Indian National Congress were becoming increasingly concerned about the extremists
Within it and by the power struggle the extremists and the moderates.
3. John Morley believed that more concessions had to be made with the Indians. He believed that the Indians should be more involved with the process of the government as it was clear that politically active Indians could, in certain circumstances, sway the masses behind them.
4. The Simla delegation was significant as it brought forward the idea that the Muslim community should not be judges by its numbers alone but by its political importance and its service to the Empire. The deputation also said that westernised ideas of democracy were not appropriate for India. The delegation was also significant as it was when Minto assured the Simla deputation that their political rights and interests would be safeguarded in any administrative reorganisation in which he was involved.
5. A reform proposed by Minto was to contemplate a modest increase in the amount of Indians nominated by the Raj to serve on the councils. Morley on the other hand was determined to reduce the amount of officials serving on provincial councils and on the viceroy’s executive council.
6. The Indian Councils Acts of 1909 were to ensure that the provincial council were to be enlarged sufficiently to create non official majorities and to separate electorates for Muslims and Hindus to allow the minority Muslims to have a voice in councils.
7. The Reforms isolated the extremists and they regarded the reforms as nothing more than cynical window-dressing on the part of the Raj.
The administrators were disappointed as the reforms diluted their power. They were no longer in the majority on provincial councils and had to be content with a substantial Indian minority in the Viceroy’s executive council.
The congress generally supported the reforms but bitterly regretted that electoral procedures ensured the balance of minority interests.
8. The Morley-Minto reforms were successful in ending over hundred years of all-white, colonial rule. The reforms helped to bring about equality through the creation of separate electorates for Hindus and the minority Muslims.