Why did Edmund Burke want independent commissioners to govern British India?

Edmund Burke advocated for the governance of British India by a board of independent commissioners because he believed the existing system of administration was fundamentally corrupt.1

Following his extensive investigation into the East India Company as a member of a select committee, Burke concluded that the vast political patronage associated with governing India could not be safely entrusted to either the company itself or the British Crown. He argued that placing this power in the hands of independent commissioners was the only way to remedy the widespread malpractices and ensure that the Indian government remained responsible for the welfare of the governed.12

This proposal was central to the India Bill of 1783, which Burke drafted alongside Charles James Fox. Although the bill was ultimately defeated in the House of Lords, Burke’s efforts reflected his broader commitment to the principle that government should be a moral, cooperative relationship between rulers and subjects, subject to universal moral laws.12