'White Man's Embarrassment'

This paper examines the problem of European vagrancy within the colonial structure of power in the city of Bombay in the second half of the 19th century. It shows how the government sought to alleviate vagrancy by providing liberal funds and enacting legislation and the difficulties faced by it. The paper presents the conflict between the state and the interests of European business class in India over the responsibility of deporting the vagrants and between the legal rights of the 'European British subject' and the moral obligation of the colonial state. Also brought out is the hollowness of the missionary claim of 'the civilised Christian versus the uncouth native' and of the rhetoric of 'white man's burden'.