History Stories

  1. Planter Associations and Racial Exclusivity The Dooars Planters Association , which included leading British firms like Duncan Brothers, excluded Indian planters from decision‑making and social club-like activities. Indian planters joining your typical road were expected to dismount and defer to British planters they encountered on public roads Taylor & Francis Online +2 Scribd +2 Scribd +2 . This formal exclusion reflects how social mixing—especially equality—was institutionally discouraged. 2. Colonial Ethnography and Racial Ideology Colonial intellectual traditions categorized Indians as inherently inferior or “uncivilised.” British planters relied on such frameworks—like Herbert Hope Risley’s caste and race schema—not only to manage labor but to justify social distance between rulers and subjects. These ideas strongly influenced corporate culture, endorsing strict segregation between British and Indian staff Wikipedia SAGE Journals . 3. Recruitment & Labor ...

  1. Colonial Racial Hierarchy and Segregation British companies like Duncans operated under a clear racially stratified worldview : British = rulers, administrators, and civilizers Indians = subjects or laborers 🔹 Socializing would challenge that hierarchy, which was central to maintaining colonial authority and exclusivity. 🍸 2. “Club Culture” and Exclusivity Duncans and other “Clubby” agency houses fostered a British-only corporate and social culture : British officers and executives belonged to elite clubs (like the Bengal Club) which excluded Indians —even elite, westernized Indians. Relationships were limited to “sahib-servant” dynamics, not equal colleagues. 🛡️ 3. Fear of Cultural Contamination or Political Influence There was a belief—especially post-1857 Revolt—that: Mixing with Indians might expose British employees to nationalist sentiments , or undermine their loyalty to Empire. Even friendly relationships were seen as potential threat...