[Gengis Khan]

“India benefited from decades of British parliamentary rule before independence. “

What nonsense. Benefited?!! How? India was an Empire under the Viceroy not under any parliamentary democracy.

[TWohlford]

“What nonsense. Benefited?!! How? India was an Empire under the Viceroy not under any parliamentary democracy.”

Okay, let me rephrase my unfortunate statement —

Which was better, the Brit rule of India, or the Turk rule of Iraq? Which one gave the people a fighting chance at democracy once they gained independence?

The Brits weren’t at all perfect, but the Indian politicians (for better and worse) pretty much adopted the Brit system when they got the chance to form their government. Given the large number of countries that have that form of government, I’m thinking that this wasn’t a bad thing.

[Clive]

British India had a central legislature on the British model since the early 20th century and was effectively a confederation of a mix of British provinces and Princely states with which Britain had treaties. The provinces had varying degrees of autonomy. The sub continent was organized as a federal system, although more properly described as a confederation.

In 1947, most of the Princely States joined India and a few joined Pakistan and India attained full sovereignty as a federal system with the states having sovereignty intra vires as set out constitutionally.

India and the provinces and states that comprise it have had long experience at parliamentary government, before and after independence.

A widely flung empire cannot effectively be centrally governed in every respect, even through Viceroys and Governors General. Matters of local concern are best left to local legislatures even though overriding sovereignty still rests with the Empire. This is trite fact going back to the Roman Empire and probably before.

The Colonial Laws Validity Act is a 19th Century law which recognized a tradition that had long been evolving which recognized the validity of the enactments of colonial legislatures. The doctrine of sovereignty intra vires also has judicial sanction since the 19th century.

This doctrine recognizes the apportionment of sovereignty between provinces within a confederation and apportionment of legislation making powers between the Empire and its component jurisdictions based on constitutional instruments, evolving practices hardening into constitutional tradition and the rule of law.

I am grossly oversimplifying

[swain_forkbeard]

“Benefited?!!(sic) How?”

If one acknowledges only the trains and the English language, then there is plenty benefit enough.