The early Modern colonial state in Asia : private agency and family networks in the English East India Company
This thesis studies the formation of the early modern colonial state in Asia. Through an exploration of the English East India Company, it examines the dynamics which shaped political authority, colonial governance and the performance of state power in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Specifically, the following research argues that a process of political decentralisation took place within the Company. This was driven by the pursuit of âprivate interestsâ on behalf of the Companyâs servants in Asia, who, as a result neglected, resisted or subverted the âpublic interestsâ of their masters in London. Key to this reconfiguration of power were the family networks established by Company servants between Europe and Asia, and across Asia itself in this period. As constructs of exchange, circulation and movement, family networks allowed Company servants to exercise considerable political agency, distinct from metropolitan authorities. In so doing, they transformed the political landscape around them, laying the foundations of the early modern colonial state through a process of private state formation from the turn of the eighteenth century onwards.
Veevers, David
The early Modern colonial state in Asia : private agency and family networks in the English East India Company. This thesis studies the formation of the early modern colonial state in Asia. Through an exploration of the English East India Company, it examines the dynamics which shaped political authority, colonial governance and the performance of state power in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Specifically, the following research argues that a process of political decentralisation took place within the Company. This was driven by the pursuit of âprivate interestsâ on behalf of the Companyâs servants in Asia, who, as a result neglected, resisted or subverted the âpublic interestsâ of their masters in London. Key to this reconfiguration of power were the family networks established by Company servants between Europe and Asia, and across Asia itself in this period. As constructs of exchange, circulation and movement, family networks allowed Company servants to exercise considerable political agency, distinct from metropolitan authorities. In so doing, they transformed the political landscape around them, laying the foundations of the early modern colonial state through a process of private state formation from the turn of the eighteenth century onwards.
early_modern colonial_state asia private agency family network english east_india_company study formation early_modern colonial_state asia exploration english east_india_company examine dynamic shape political_authority colonial governance performance state_power seventeenth specifically follow argues process political take_place within company driven pursuit private interest behalf company servant asia neglect resist public_interest master london key reconfiguration power family network establish company servants europe asia across asia period construct exchange circulation movement family network allow company servant exercise considerable political agency distinct metropolitan authority transform political_landscape around lay_foundation early_modern colonial_state process private state_formation turn onwards