Architectures of Control: Paternalism, Agrarian Order, and Militarization in Colonial Punjab

Authors

  • Sayed Adeel Ijaz Lecturer, Department of History & Pakistan Studies, Forman Christian College University, Lahore.
  • Dr. Muhammad Mahboob Ahmad Assistant Professor, Institute of English Language and Literature, GC University, Lahore.

Abstract

This paper explores the foundational mechanisms of British colonial governance in Punjab from its annexation in 1849. It details how early British administrators utilized a system of bureaucratic paternalism to pacify this strategic borderland, prioritizing order and agrarian stability over democratic representation. By examining structural policies such as the Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900 and the Canal Colonies, the paper illustrates the calculated co-optation of landed elites and the creation of a loyalist political class. Furthermore, it investigates the institutionalization of religious and communal identities via census and separate electorates, alongside the profound militarization that transformed Punjab into the "sword arm of the Raj," effectively stifling inclusive political development in favor of imperial control.

Keywords: Architecture, Control, Paternalism, Agrarian Order, Militarization, Colonoial.

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Published

2025-05-12

How to Cite

Sayed Adeel Ijaz, & Dr. Muhammad Mahboob Ahmad. (2025). Architectures of Control: Paternalism, Agrarian Order, and Militarization in Colonial Punjab. Sociology &Amp; Cultural Research Review, 3(02), 745–755. Retrieved from https://www.scrrjournal.com/index.php/14/article/view/794

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 02 (2025): Sociology & Cultural Research Review

Section

Articles