A bureaucracy has the fatal tendency of perpetuating itself and of
making itself indispensable. As a result, we find that the prospects and
powers of the bureaucracy become more important than even the purposes
for which it exists. It is a commonplace of politics that a state exists
for the people comprising it, and that the servants of the state are the
servants of the people. They are the tools which the body politic uses
for its corporate life. Even in self-governed countries the tendency of
glorifying the state and the servants of the state at the cost of the
people is not uncommon, though the fact is not, or rarely, if at all,
admitted in so many words. In dependencies and countries governed by a
foreign bureaucracy, however, this fact is undisguisedly kept before the
people and they are openly and frankly told that the powers and
prospects of the servants of the government are of greater consequence
and importance than the wishes and welfare of the people. This is amply
illustrated by the extravagant scale on which the government of India
pays its European servants and goes on adding to their privileges under
all sorts of pretences and excuses. People may live or they may die for
want of food, for lack of knowledge of the ordinary laws of hygiene, for
lack of employment, but the bureaucrats must enjoy their princely
salaries, their hill allowances, their furlough, and travelling and
leave perquisites, promotions and pensions. If the cost of living
increases, they must get a raise in their salaries, no matter how the
increased cost of living affects the general body of the people.
Besides, they must have their pensions, as their children are infinitely
more important than those of the tax-payer.
We have already reproduced and discussed the recommendations of the
Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy, about the European members
of the Indian services. The Viceroy has only recently emphasized the
importance of a substantial increase in their salaries, although there
is a deficit of 20 million dollars in the budget estimates for the next
year. That is an old story, however. What we are immediately concerned
with are the recommendations of the Indian Industrial Commission, in
favor of creating a new branch of public service divided into the
inevitable Imperial and Provincial branches, for furthering the
industrial development of the country. Our meaning will be clear as we
proceed.
The Indian Industrial Commission was appointed by the Government of
India "to examine and report upon the possibilities of further
industrial development in India and to submit its recommendations with
special references to the following questions:--
(_a_) whether new openings for the profitable employment of Indian
capital in commerce can be indicated.
(_b_) whether, and if so, in what manner, government can usefully
give direct encouragement to industrial development,