The Colonial State: Theory and Practice

The colonial state as a subject of study has stayed in the margins of scholarly attention. In the rather sparse literature on the subject, one may see two tendencies. On the one hand, those specializing in political theory tend to think that historians merely narrate what happened. On the other hand, historians are prone to dismiss 'mere' theory. Hence the paradox that although historical writings on modern India recognize that the state was one of the chief instruments for the creation of colonialism, the theory of the colonial state has received very little attention. Thus, the historiography of the colonial period has suffered from the absence of theoretical enquiries of the kind which have so enriched the analysis of the post-colonial state. The aim in this work is to address, through historical narrativization of some specific moments of colonial state building, the question: What, in theory, are the historical specificities of the 'colonial' state as distinct from other state forms? An attempt is made in this book, to weave together the discourse of state theory and the narrative of state practices. This approach is based on the argument that theory was not something out there to guide practice. Empirical evidence suggests a more complex picture of interaction between the two where, within parameters structured by theory, the practice in turn produces and structures theory at each conjuncture.

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