Routledge - Edge of Empire: British Political Officer History

Explore the complex history of colonial expansion and governance with Edge of Empire. This work by Routledge examines how Britain managed its diverse territories through imaginative administrative solutions. It focuses on the role of the political officer, an instrument of government used to exert control over remote areas. Originally created by the East India Company to manage relations with princely rulers in the Indian States, political officers became a key mechanism for the government. This book traces their development into a system for managing remote territories through local power brokers, a method known as the policy of indirect rule. Readers will gain insight into the administrative methods used on the North-West Frontier between 1877 and 1947. This historical study provides a detailed look at how the British managed relations with local leaders to maintain control during a period of significant colonial expansion.