Duncans Colonial Racial Hierarchy & Segregation

 

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 threats to company discipline or imperial control.

🎓 4. Recruitment and Training Practices

Duncans recruited directly from British public schools or the army, bringing in young men to India on contracts.

  • They were indoctrinated to “keep their distance”.

  • Manuals and supervisors explicitly warned against becoming “too friendly” with locals, especially subordinate staff or Indian traders.

⚖️ 5. Legal and Marital Restrictions

  • Company policies discouraged marriages or close relations with Indian women, which were seen as lowering the social status of the British employee.

  • Inheritance, caste complications, and company liability made such relationships “undesirable”.

📉 When Did This Begin to Change?

  • Only post-World War II, especially after Indian Independence (1947), did these barriers begin to break down.

  • Companies were forced to hire and promote Indians, but old habits and biases lingered well into the 1960s–70s, especially in elite circles like tea estates or Calcutta agency houses.

🧾 Summary:

Duncans' discouragement of mixing with Indians was a combination of:

  • Imperial arrogance

  • Preservation of control

  • Deep-rooted racial beliefs

  • Structural company policies from the British colonial playbook

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