British civil servant

British Civil Servant Author: Castle Peak Hemlock

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The World War II, which spread all over the world, has come to an end, but the decline of the British Empire has only just begun.

"I don't agree with them, but it's not all bad to tear down British India first."

Chapter 1 Yes, Governor!

The noisy noise outside the car window came from time to time, but Alan Wilson had already practiced the ability to turn a deaf ear, isolating himself from the curry-smelling English outside. There was no transfer from the newspaper in hand, and the headline on the front page was written with a striking headline, "The British Empire has the confidence to regain the entire Burma within a few months."

"Hey!" With an unrecognizable sigh, the voice was so low that the person involved couldn't even hear it. Alan Wilson put away the newspaper and looked out the window calmly. There was no longer a strong accent of English hawking in his ears.

Now the bus has passed through the Delhi Gate and entered the area of ​​New Delhi, the later capital of India.Now it is [-]. The biggest difference between New Delhi and Delhi is that New Delhi is completely British. Because Calcutta is too remote, the capital of British India was moved to the newly built urban area of ​​Delhi. New Delhi has only been inhabited by British people for a long time.

In 300, this was the biggest problem Alan Wilson faced. The British Empire, which had run across the world for 3000 years, was already in decline. The end of World War I was the beginning of the decline of the British Empire.

Compared with the two armies of the United States and the Soviet Union with tens of millions of troops, a country that dominates the land and the other dominates the sea, it seems that the post-war world no longer has the position of the former overlord, the British Empire. This makes Alan Wilson, who is going to copy the history of countless classic protagonists Civil servants feel at a loss.

And with the blessing of past life memories, Alan Wilson certainly understands that the horn of the disintegration of the British Empire is on the land under his feet now. The most important colony of the British Empire in the world, British India with an area of ​​more than 400 million square kilometers, is the first to sound.

And this is unstoppable at all. Don’t say that Alan Wilson is just an inexperienced civil servant. Even if he is the governor of India now, he can’t ignore the independent voice that has become the consensus of British India. One day or one day later, what benefits can be gained from it.

After getting off the bus and being inspected by the guards, Alan Wilson stood directly in front of the Governor's Palace of India, which looked like the White House. His eyes swept past the British Indian flag on the dome of the Governor's Palace. He knew the way ahead right ahead.

"Sir, what's the matter with you?" The guard who had just finished checking looked at Alan Wilson, and said with some amusement, "But it's rare for someone as young as you to be seen in the Governor's Mansion."

"I'll just take it as a compliment, thank you." Alan Wilson lowered his head slightly and replied with a smile. By the way, he concealed his embarrassment just now, and walked towards the building somewhat similar to the White House.

The Governor's Mansion was full of office workers in a hurry, and in a well-lit room, the current Governor of India, Archibald Percival Wavell, was stretching out his hands in front of the fireplace to absorb the heat, without turning his head. He asked back, "Barron, have the members of the Muslim League and the Congress Party left?"

"Yes, Governor, they have already left." The man named Barron looked in his 40s, his clean face was obviously well-groomed, and he replied solemnly, "Every time the two sides meet, the differences seem to be worse than the last time. More not less, not just for both parties, but for us."

"Damn it, the Prime Minister definitely doesn't want to hear the news." Governor Wavell yelled in a low voice, but it was more of a helpless sigh than a yell.Compared with the public news that the front-line British-Indian Army had invaded Burma and was about to avenge the Japanese, the internal disputes that gave him headaches from time to time could always dilute his good mood as the Governor of India.

"They and Ali Jinnah and Nehru they represent really give us a lot of headaches. Mr. Governor!" Although Barron still had a calm expression, he had to admit that compared with the world that had seen the dawn of victory, In the war, whether the pearl of the British Empire is still as shining as it is now is the biggest question.

There was a suffocating embarrassment in the room, except for the charcoal fire burning in the fireplace, there was no sound.

Although there are some liberal imperialists in the Conservative Party, they claim that the investment in India and even the entire colony has exceeded the output, and they hope that the British Empire will abandon the entire colony and stop the current money-losing business.

Just as Adams, the author of The Wealth of Nations 150 years ago, called for the independence of the thirteen states in North America, he believed that British India had become a black hole that consumed the wealth of the British Empire just like the original thirteen states in North America.

However, this kind of voice is not the mainstream among the Conservative Party. Now the Prime Minister of the British Empire, Churchill, has always claimed to defend the glory of the British Empire, but now several leading figures in British India know in their hearts that things are far from that simple.

"Tell London the news of the British Indian Army's penetration into Burma, Barron." Governor Wavell withdrew his hands in front of the fireplace and sighed, "London still hopes for more good news, and put aside the matter of the Congress Party and the Muslim League." behind."

"Yes, governor!" Barron agreed with a stylized smile, and Barron took a few steps back and walked out of the room.

In the entire Governor's Mansion of India, it was normal during the war. Everyone was in a hurry, dealing with information about British India and the entire battlefield in Southeast Asia, and they seemed very busy.

Barron, who left Governor Wavell, waited for his guest today with a gentle face. At this time, he was not idle, but played chess with himself wholeheartedly.

Not long after, the assistant pushed the door open, and Alan Wilson walked in behind him. Barron took the last step without looking up, finished the game of chess, and then looked up at the young man in front of him.

He got up and pointed to a place for Alan Wilson to sit down, then returned to his place and took out a stack of document bags, looked at the person from the corner of his eye, as if verifying his identity.

"You are the son of Grote Wilson. I am very saddened by your father's passing. He and I have a good relationship!" Barron said while looking at the document, "Born in London in [-], Then he followed his father's work to live in Xiangjiang. Before the Pearl Harbor incident, he obtained information that was extremely important to the allies, and then fell to Calcutta in the Xiangjiang colony. Before the war, you have been admitted to the Oriental College of Oxford University."

Speaking of this, Barron closed the file bag and said, "Your father could have had a bigger job, but unfortunately, there are still more diseases here in South Asia. Alan, you are younger than I thought .”

"Maybe this is not an advantage! Entering the Oriental Department is mainly due to his father's work experience." Alan Wilson replied softly, and he couldn't help sighing in his heart. He had already used the special environment of the colony to persuade his father in this life to change his age. He was three years old, because the courses in primary and secondary schools were really not difficult for him.This makes the upbringing experience seem normal,

As for providing information on Pearl Harbor, he originally intended to be a well-off rich second generation, while gilding his father as a civil servant, to make his father prosperous. However, the fate failed, and the responsibility for starting a business fell on his shoulders.

"Very good, but don't be overly modest. Your studies are very good. If it hadn't been for the outbreak of the World War, you would have become the youngest graduate of Oxford University in recent years." Barron sat on the chair and nodded in satisfaction, then changed the topic and asked Dao, "Although I haven't finished my studies, I have accumulated some concepts about Orientalism. What do you think of India?"

Barron knew the purpose of this age person, and Alan Wilson also knew the purpose of the question asked by the chief civil servant. The two sides knew each other's thoughts and tacitly understood each other.

"Huh?" Alan Wilson pondered for a while, and quickly gave an answer, "There is no doubt that during the time period of the agricultural era, Eastern countries could accumulate far more than European countries because of their advantages in scale and geographical factors. South Asia is one of the best, whether in the past or now, British India has always been the cornerstone of the prosperity of the British Empire, the brightest jewel in the crown."

Barron nodded in approval, and heard Alan Wilson continue, "It is thanks to the wealth created by the extensive colonies that the British Empire can face the attacks of challengers one after another, whether it is Napoleon or William II. India is a land of wealth. Oxford University started the systematic study of Orientalism and produced a large number of talents. These talents have a broad vision and a better understanding of the nature of the world than the narrow thinking of other European countries. "

In the end, Alan Wilson also praised Oxford University. He knew that Barron was also born in Oxford University, and from this aspect, the relationship between the two parties was shortened.

Obviously, Barron is very satisfied with this young man who came here. Thinking that the other party's father has a good relationship with him, he also has a sense of support in his heart. In this place of British India, Barron's authority is no worse than that of several prominent figures.

As the chief of civil servants, Barron quickly asked about his views on British India, the Congress Party, the Muslim League, and his understanding of local Indian politicians such as Gandhi, Nehru, and Ali Jinnah. .

Allen Wilson gave his own answer to this, and gave some future ideas.

Chapter 2 Commissioner of Hyderabad

"Do you think Nehru is a powerful person?" Barron asked with his fingers crossed, in an uncertain tone.

"Yes, Sir Barron." Alan Wilson nodded solemnly, "Compared with Gandhi, who has been imagining the pastoral life, Nehru's own thoughts are more worthy of attention."

Alan Wilson's voice was not loud, but he was extremely firm.In fact, Nehru, the leader of the National Congress Party, and Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, are very powerful political figures.

As far as Nehru alone is concerned, he is a person who cannot be compared with Modi in later generations.And Ali Jinnah, who represents another faction, is also a thoroughly secular political figure. Whether it is Hinduism or the Peace Church, it is a tool in the hands of the two people, and they themselves have no religious color.

Compared with Nehru, Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, is a leader who is completely close to the West. Even the religious views of the Muslim League have been ignored by Ali Jinnah for a long time.

However, as a minority, Ali Jinnah was inevitably affected by the Muslim League, and Ali Jinnah's health was poor. After his death, the Muslim League and Pakistan quickly entered the road of religiousization.

Nehru of the Congress Party is completely different. Nehru always respects Indian culture, but he is unambiguous when it is time to act.During his term of office, he carried out land reform, defeated Pakistan externally, and reversed the world's impression of the cowardly fighting power of Hindus.The recovery of Portuguese Goa boosted the self-confidence of the whole of India.

In the final analysis, Alan Wilson believes that this has a huge relationship with Nehru's visit to the nascent Soviet Union when he was young. The shock of India is also very normal, which led to Nehru adopting a lot of Soviet methods to solve domestic affairs after India's independence.

If it hadn't been for that war, Nehru might have really built India into a big and impressive country.

Listening to the young man standing in front of him answering his own question in a serious manner, Barron nodded in satisfaction, feeling a strange emotion in his heart. It is hard to imagine that this kind of understanding came from the mouth of a young man in his early twenties .

"It is now a time of war, and many departments are in need of talents." Sir Baron pondered for a moment and said, "During the Battle of Imphal, your father did a lot of work in Calcutta, whether it was the war zone, the Governor's Mansion or the Colonial Department. In our eyes, we also need to consider the opinions of those who have made merit.”

Following Barron's words, Alan Wilson became more and more careful. He knew that his path was within the other's thoughts.

"Well, given your age, Bombay, Calcutta, and even Delhi are a little too conspicuous. Now the seventeen provinces of India are not suitable for your starting work. But for your father's sake, I can let you go from an easy It’s not a low-status job.” Barron said while thinking, “You go to be the Commissioner of Hyderabad, what do you think?”

"Uh? Thank you, Sir Barron." Alan Wilson was stunned for a moment, and An Nai thanked the surprise in his heart.

The place where British India is managed by the Governor's Office and the British Commissioner has a total of 560 provinces, which together occupy two-thirds of the current British India, and the remaining one-third of the land is distributed with more than [-] states.These soil-states are big and small. The small soil-states are just bigger landlords, while the big ones are treated with great courtesy in the UK and are regarded as heads of state.

Among the more than 500 state states, the most powerful state is the Hyderabad state that Sir Barron said. It is the largest state in British India in terms of both area and population. Kashmir.

While Alan Wilson was still thinking, Sir Barron said to himself, "Although Hyderabad is not actually under the control of British India, its importance is no less than that of the provinces controlled by the Governor's Palace. In 500 Among the many states, Hyderabad can be regarded as a weathervane, so don't worry about it, the importance is the same."

Sir Barron also felt that Alan Wilson was a little disappointed with his arrangement, explained the importance of Hyderabad, and mentioned, "The current local ruler is Mir Osman Ali Khan, a ruler respected by London. Or, communication with him is not inferior to working in provinces under our control."

It may be more comfortable to enter the Indian provinces to work, but considering Alan Wilson's age, Sir Barron is not good. Because of his personal relationship, it is not easy to give the other party a good position among the Indian states indirectly ruled by the British Empire. It will appear too conspicuous and will not be caught by others.

After all, now is the period of world war. Some previous rules can be broken, but there must be a certain degree of fire.

Alan Wilson was not dissatisfied because of this, and he also knew that Sir Barron in front of him had done his best, and within the current rules, he could only do so much.

"During the Battle of Imphal, your father helped me a lot and maintained the stability of India." Finally, Sir Barron mentioned the past, and Alan Wilson understood.

Speaking of Alan Wilson's father, since he fled to India, the old Wilson quickly found a way to continue working in the civil service system, and finally gained a firm foothold in Calcutta.

Calcutta was the capital of British India before New Delhi. The British had been operating in Calcutta for half a century, and only put the capital in New Delhi 30 years ago. In this era, it was undoubtedly the second largest city in India.

After the Battle of Burma, the center of Bengal faced the threat of the Japanese army until the outbreak of the Battle of Imphal.As for Old Wilson, it was during this time that he followed Sir Barron's orders to maintain the operation of Calcutta.

But this is not what Sir Barron meant. The main reason why he took a high look at Alan Wilson was the outbreak of the Great Bengal Famine. Famines always broke out in British India, but in the Bengal Famine two years ago, more than 300 million people were killed. It was the time before and after the Battle of Imphal that starved to death. Old Wilson can be said to be to blame, and Sir Barron, the chief of the British Indian civil servants working in the Governor's Mansion, is also to blame.

Alan Wilson breathed a sigh of relief. Because of his father's relationship, he finally got what he wanted in the Governor's Mansion. At this moment, Sir Barron said, "Don't be too happy, I only have recommended candidates You should know that the final decision is still in the hands of Governor Wavell, if there is no accident, I will inform you of the good news in a while."

"Thank you, Sir Barron." Alan Wilson took out a gold coin and said to himself, "I got this from a merchant. I personally hope that Sir Barron will not care about his metal composition, but from The precious Indian history can be seen from above, just like the academic issues studied by the Oriental Academy, it can see a wide range of the Eastern world."

"Precious historical value, I think it is." Sir Baron reached out to take it tacitly, glanced at the sunlight shining through the window, and seemed to be admiring the patterns on it.

Chapter 3 The richest man in the world

It was only now that Sir Baron felt in his heart how important it was to support the younger generation and add fresh blood to the civil service system of the British Empire. This was also for the sake of political stability.

Alan Wilson has his own understanding that British India is the jewel in the crown of the empire in every aspect.It is more important than Canada, Australia, or even the earlier thirteen states in North America, or even all other British colonies.

As for any colony under its current jurisdiction, it cannot be compared with British India from any angle. It is just the self-consolation of the British who lost British India.

The reason for saying this is that the size of British India is huge, and even relying on its own advantages in area, resources and population, its economic aggregate and important economic indicators have surpassed modern Japan, ranking first in Asia and further Far superior to other imperial entities.

During the First World War, at the same time, the fiscal revenue of the British and Indian governments was one billion rupees, about [-] million pounds, about half of that of the British mainland, basically the same as that of the Japanese government, and far more than entities such as Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

This is still taking into account the British-German naval competition, the result of the local British gritting their teeth and increasing taxes. In peacetime, the fiscal revenue of British India would be an indispensable part of the British Empire.

This has led to the extremely important status of British India. Except for Napoleon's short time, Britain worked hard in Europe. Almost all the time in the nineteenth century, Britain formulated policies for the security of British India, whether it was This is the reason for attacking Burma or going north to Afghanistan.

If it is not [-], Alan Wilson has reason to believe that the civil servants in the UK will definitely travel across the ocean to work in India. After all, this is a colony, and they do not have to endure various checks and balances in the UK. You can enjoy the treatment of a master.

Therefore, Sir Barron did give Alan Wilson great convenience. If we go back a few decades, it can even be said that he will directly let him reach the sky in one step, saving 20 years of struggle.

But now it is different. Alan Wilson understands that British India, the jewel in the crown of the empire, is about to leave the control of the British Empire. Now he must use the little time left to accumulate qualifications and wealth as much as possible. Nor is it easy.

Regarding the position of Hyderabad, he was ready to accept it without saying a word. Although it is a land-state and belongs to the area under the indirect British rule, it also has great advantages in it.Like the ruler of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan.

This person is famous all over the world, because he was appraised by the United States as the richest man in the world in [-], and Hyderabad will become a starting point for Allen Wilson's future career. He hopes it will be smoother.

Alan Wilson left the Governor's Mansion because Sir Barron had explained that it would be easier for him to recruit a few assistants himself, with the help of trusted people.

Before leaving, Allen Wilson was still carrying a document bag. Sir Barron said that it contained examination questions for civil servants in British India.

But when he thought about it, he felt relaxed. This has been much smoother than he thought before, and being able to get the position of Hyderabad commissioner is already an extra joy, and he can't ask for too much.

When I took the bus home and opened the test paper, I could actually see from the paper some of the current real environment of British India.Regarding the relationship between the Muslim League and the National Congress Party, as well as the relationship between the British Indian provinces and the states, they are all issues that the Governor's Office needs to solve at present.

On the other side, Sir Barron is persuading Governor Wavell for the commissioner of Hyderabad.

"A child who can be said to be a genius, if it hadn't been for the outbreak of war, he might be the youngest person to enter Oxford University in recent years, but he is still a bit too young." Governor Wavell frowned and asked, "Let him do it Commissioner of Hyderabad, did the start go too well?"

"On the contrary, Mr. Governor, the commissioner of Hyderabad is more suitable. It is different to put it in the province and in the state. The monarch of Hyderabad is the distinguished guest of London. According to the agreement between us and the state, all The power placed in Hyderabad can't be too much, and we can't do it now, British India is already busy with [-] civil servants. Like a state with such a strong power in Hyderabad, we need to maintain the status of commissioner , At the same time, we can’t go too far, and one-sided interference will make the monarch of Hyderabad dissatisfied, so it’s just right for Allen to go.” Sir Barron spoke eloquently, going around and around, just to make it clear that Alan Wilson did The commissioner from Hyderabad is the most suitable and not the second choice.

The direction of the war is already very clear, and the Axis group has come to an end, but from the perspective of British India, the future direction is still unknown. Whether British India will continue to be under the rule of the United Kingdom in the future, or it will be directly independent.

Governor Wavell and Sir Barron, of course, understand that far away London is also engaged in fierce quarrels over the issue of British India. In this matter, not only must beware of the Soviet Union, but also the United States, another comrade-in-arms who fought side by side. To a certain extent, the United States is more dangerous than the Soviet Union.

The future is uncertain for the hundred thousand civil servants of British India, and even Governor Wavell and Sir Barron, the Governor-General of British India and the head of the civil service of British India, cannot guarantee a word on the matter right.

Under such uncertainties, Sir Barron himself could not see the future, and a small unreasonable arrangement was no longer a big deal.

In the middle of the night, Alan Wilson was still answering questions. In Sir Barron’s last test paper, he asked about supporters of British Indian rule. After a long time of thinking, he wrote, “The untouchable class, and more than 500 The monarch of the state, while the Congress Party and the Muslim League are the two opponents, and Nehru and Ali Jinnah just have different methods.”

"The Congress Party represented by Nehru wants to take over all the rights of the entire British India, while the Muslim League headed by Ali Jinnah does not want to live in the same country with Hindus. It’s the same for the government, but it’s different for the Pax and Hindus, it’s a conflict between the Muslim League and the Congress party.”

"Under the rule of British India, only the untouchables have certain rights. As for the monarchs of more than 500 states, they are happy to maintain their current status. On the contrary, they have doubts about the Congress Party and the Muslim League. Regarding my upcoming visit Hyderabad, my mission is to make the monarchy of Hyderabad the support of British India."

"Mir Osman Ali Khan has the most powerful strength among many Indian states. At the same time, he is also a peace believer. He is a minority in the whole of India, even in Hyderabad. I believe that Mir Osman Ali Khan is more than willing to maintain an amicable relationship with London."

Who is the enemy and who is the friend has always been a very important question.

Chapter 4 What a great authority

"I know enough about South Asia." Sir Barron held Alan Wilson's answer sheet and couldn't help sighing in his heart. Although he was an open-book exam and gave Alan Wilson a chance to cheat, he may have this kind of understanding, which shows that Alan Although Wilson is young, he already has the ability to deal with things maturely.

He still said calmly, "The institutions in the Hyderabad state are mainly institutions that communicate with the monarch of Hyderabad, but there are only more than 200 people, even if the various institutions in the entire Hyderabad are combined, We have less than a thousand British people. Although not as good as Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta, it is still a very important place, and we must maintain a harmonious relationship with the monarch Mir Osman Ali Khan."

"Maintaining a harmonious relationship, I think the most important thing is sincerity. I am ready for this, Sir Barron." Alan Wilson nodded slightly, and said, "The local area has its own currency, and the monarch controls the railway. , the post office and the army, Mir Osman Ali Khan’s attitude towards London will play an important leading role in the current more than 500 states, and I will definitely contact people very sincerely.”

"As long as you know, I will give you the letter of appointment in three days. How are the newly recruited assistants? I heard that you went to Delhi University, and all the recruits are young people?" Sir Barron replied with satisfaction, and then The topic changed, "Although I don't want to interfere with your work, the arrogance of young people must be put away, and the assistants you recruit should be controlled. Our rule of British India is not blindly high-handed, but Full of flexibility, high pressure is not the solution to the problem, sometimes we have to find a way from the tradition of South Asia.”

Alan Wilson nodded, how to use the smallest force to maintain the greatest stability, I believe there is no one more skilled than the United Kingdom.

During a certain period of time during the existence of British India, the governor also tried to break India's caste system, but later found that it did not arouse the support of the people at the bottom for the British Empire. The idea of ​​​​cutting the caste system did not encounter unmanageable chaos afterwards.

As for the relationship between the two major religions in India, in the history of British India, the governor of British India has repeatedly jumped over and over again. Hinduism, Peace Religion, and Sikhism have become the powers that the Governor-General of India relies on at different times.

As for his current destination, the state of Hyderabad, it happens to be very suitable for the conditions of British India to divide and rule.The state of Hyderabad is now the largest state in British India. Its largest area is about the same as that of the British mainland, with a population of 2000 million. From any point of view, its strength is not inferior to any province in British India.

What makes Alan Wilson even more happy is that the monarch Mir Osman Ali Khan is a peace believer.80.00% of the population of Hyderabad is Hindus.This is exactly the opposite of Kashmir, which was later disputed by Pakistan and India. Kashmir is a Hindu monarch who rules the majority of peaceful believers in the jurisdiction.

It is a pity that the monarch, the Hyderabad state of Mir Osman Ali Khan, is too far away from the northwest of British India where the peace believers are powerful, and cannot get the support of the people of the same faith. The entire Hyderabad state is in Surrounded by India, this led to the final failure of Mir Osman Ali Khan's independence plan.

Mir Osman Ali Khan is known for his wealth and he is considered to be one of the richest people in the world due to his wealth of jewels and gold.It is speculated that the worth is 20 billion US dollars in this era!Therefore, it appeared in the American Time Magazine.

Since the eighteenth century, Ali Khan's family has been ruling the Indian state of Hyderabad. Ali Khan is the only Indian who does not live in the UK but enjoys a high royal title. This is mainly because in the first During World War I, he donated huge sums of money to the British Treasury free of charge.

After the new official took office, Alan Wilson also handed over the list of assistants he had selected from the University of Delhi to Sir Barron, the leader of the British Indian civil servants. In fact, [-] British civil servants controlled a colony as large as British India.There is no problem of overstaffed institutions.