2016 · Q114
Which of the following statements about the ideology of Utilitarianism in the context of British India is / are correct?
- 1Utilitarianism believed that the rule of law was necessary for societal betterment.
- 2James Mill expounded the principles of Utilitarianism in his famous book, 'Utilitarians and the Raj'.
- 3Utilitarians differed from the liberals in significant ways.
- 4Utilitarianism had distinct authoritarian tendencies.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
history-of-indiaeuropeans-british-expansion
- A1 only
- B1 and 2 only
- C3 and 4 only
- D1, 3 and 4
Explanation
Statements 1, 3, and 4 are correct: utilitarians held the rule of law essential for societal betterment, they differed from liberals in significant ways (e.g., on representative government), and their programme had distinct authoritarian tendencies (as in James Mill's advocacy of strong colonial rule). Statement 2 is wrong: 'Utilitarians and the Raj' is the work of Eric Stokes, not James Mill (whose classic is 'The History of British India'). Hence 1, 3, and 4. Note: one published key gives (A), but that wrongly drops the true statements 3 and 4.