Similarities between Lord Curzon and Jawaharlal Nehru

Similarities between Lord Curzon and Jawaharlal Nehru

Lord Curzon and Jawaharlal Nehru have been the top administrator of India at two different period of time.

Lord Curzon was the viceroy of India during 1899 to 1905, while Nehru became the Prime Minister of India in 1947.

Although there is a difference of almost 50 years between the administration of these two, but there were a lot of similarities that can be seen in the administration and policies followed by them.

Nehru and Curzon both favoured an active foreign policy. To develop contacts with other countries was the central theme of the foreign policy of both of them. However, the policy of Curzon was very much aggressive in outlook, whereas that of Nehru was based on peaceful co-existence. To implement his foreign policy Curzon. even attacked many countries including Tibet, Sikkim, Burma and Afghanistan.

Both of them had tried to impose their personal ambitions and high handedness in every sphere of the administration. Curzon tried to control even the local self government and universities. In establishing control over military he had a quarrel with the then commander-in-chief, Lord Kitchener.

His Indian University Act, 1904, was protested by the Nationalist leaders. Though there was not any quarrel or protest against Nehru, it can be said that he was very much identical to Curzon in establishing his personal ambitions and high handedness that can be seen especially in this industrial policy. Which was totally opposed to the Gram-Swaraj of Gandhiji.

There is another similarity between the two that both of them had the desire to remain at the top of the administration, that is why Curzon had differences with the members of his executive council, and Nehru had differences with the members of the Parliament. Thus, it can be said that regardless of distance in time, there were a lot of similarities between Lord Curzon and Jawahar lal Nehru.