THE ABOLITION OF BONDED LABOUR AND SLAVERY IN INDIA From ‘Poor Law’ to a Fundamental Right – the Gradual Changes of an Institution, 1843-1990 Christine Molfenter THE ABOLITION OF BONDED LABOUR AND SLAVERY IN INDIA From ‘Poor Law’ to a Fundamental Right – the Gradual Changes of an Institution, 1843-1990 Inauguraldissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Dr. rer. pol. im Fach Politikwissenschaft vorgelegt von: Mag. Christine Molfenter Doktorvater Prof. Subrata K. Mitra, Ph.D. (Rochester) Eingereicht an der Fakultät für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg am 31. Juli 2019 Figure 1. Purveyors of the British Breakfast Table, 1910 Title page: Representational image, (c) Illustrated London News/Mary Evans Picture Library. Scenes on an Assam Tea Plantation, original caption: “Purveyors of the British Breakfast Table: Pay-Day on an Indian Tea Plantation.” Source: Author unknown/The Graphic, p. 573, available at: British Library/findmypast. Discussion of the illustration in chapter 3. ii iii Contents Figures ................................................................................................................................. vi Tables .................................................................................................................................. vii Glossary ............................................................................................................................. viii Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... ix Preface .................................................................................................................................. x Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Structure of this Dissertation .......................................................................................... 13 Slavery and Bonded Labour in India .............................................................................. 15 Defining Slavery, Forced Labour and Bonded Labour ................................................... 25 Chapter 1 Theory & Method ............................................................................................ 36 Historical Institutionalism ............................................................................................... 36 Institutions and Actors .................................................................................................... 39 Gradual Institutional Change .......................................................................................... 41 What is Change? ............................................................................................................. 47 Ideas ................................................................................................................................ 52 Agents of Change ............................................................................................................ 56 Causal Relationship and Hypotheses .............................................................................. 61 Method ............................................................................................................................ 63 Chapter 2 Institutionalisation: EIC & British Parliament, 1807-1843........................ 66 Regulating Slavery .......................................................................................................... 67 Abolishing the Slave Trade, 1807 ................................................................................... 70 Abolishing Slavery, 1833 ............................................................................................... 72 Removing Slavery’s Civil Status in India, 1843 ............................................................. 77 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 86 Chapter 3 1st Episode: EIC & British Raj, 1843-1919 ................................................ 89 Institutional Characteristics ............................................................................................ 90 Paradigms and Zeitgeist .................................................................................................. 92 Political Context ............................................................................................................. 97 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 101 Gradual Changes ........................................................................................................... 102 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 132 Chapter 4 2nd Episode: British Raj, 1919-1946 ......................................................... 137 Institutional Characteristics .......................................................................................... 138 Paradigms and Zeitgeist ................................................................................................ 141 Political Context ........................................................................................................... 145 Hypothesis .................................................................................................................... 150 Gradual Changes ........................................................................................................... 151 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 185 iv 3rd Episode: 1946-1990s ................................................................................................. 189 Chapter 5 3rd Episode Part 1: Constituent Assembly, 1946-1952 ........................... 190 Institutional Characteristics .......................................................................................... 191 Paradigms and Zeitgeist ................................................................................................ 195 Political Context ........................................................................................................... 198 Hypothesis .................................................................................................................... 201 Gradual Changes ........................................................................................................... 202 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 223 Chapter 6 3rd Episode Part 2: Independent India, 1952-1990 ................................. 228 Institutional Characteristics .......................................................................................... 228 Political Context ........................................................................................................... 233 Hypothesis .................................................................................................................... 237 Gradual Changes ........................................................................................................... 238 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 269 Discussion and Conclusion .............................................................................................. 273 Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 273 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 281 Future research .............................................................................................................. 282 Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 285 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 285 Act V, 1843 ................................................................................................................... 295 Workman’s Breach of Contract Act, 1859 ................................................................... 296 Indian Penal Code, 1862, Sec. 367, 370, 371, 374 ....................................................... 299 The Bihar and Orissa Kamiauti Agreements Act, 1920 ............................................... 300 LN Slavery Convention, Art. 1-2, 1926 ........................................................................ 302 Children (Pledging of Labour) Act, 1933 ..................................................................... 303 Prevention of Free or Forced or Compulsory Labour Bill, 1949 .................................. 305 Forced Labour Convention (C29), Art. 1-2, 1930 ........................................................ 308 The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 ...................................................... 310 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 313 Figures .........................................................................................................................