Regardless of distance in time, there were lots of Similarities between Lord Curzon and Jawaharlal Nehru. Discuss!

At two different period of time Lord Curzon and Jawahar Lal Nehru have been the top administrator of India. Lord Curzon was the viceroy of India during 1899 to 1905 while Nehru became the Prime Minister of India in 1947 and thereafter in 1951. Although there is a difference of almost 50 years between the administration of these two but there were lots of similarities can be seen in the administration and policies followed by them. Both Nehru and Curzon favoured an active foreign policy. Centre theme of the foreign policy of both of them was to develop contacts with other countries. However, the policy of Curzon was very much aggressive in outlook whereas that of Nehru was based on peaceful coexistence.

Curzon even attacked many countries including Tibet, Sikkim, Burma and Afghanistan to implement his foreign policy whereas Nehru never did so. Both of them had tried to impose their personal ambitions and highhandedness in every sphere of 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. But it can be said that Nehru was very much identical to Curzon in establishing his personal ambitions and highhandedness that can be seen especially in his industrial policy, which was totally opposite to the Gramswaraj of Gandhijee, though there was not any quarrel or protest against Nehru.

The desire to remain at the top of the administration is another similarity between the two, that is why Curzon had differences with the members of his Executive Council and Nehru had differences with the members of Parliament. Thus it can be said that regardless of distance in time, Curzon and Nehru had many similarities.

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• George Curzon
• Jawaharlal Nehru

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