Can you interpret the meaning and implications of 'Doctrine of Lapse' under British rule in India?
The 'Doctrine of Lapse' was a policy of the British East India Company, which stated that any princely state or territory under the direct influence of the British would automatically be annexed if the ruler was either 'manifestly incompetent or died without a direct heir'. This policy allowed the British to expand their territories in India but was eventually abolished due to its unpopularity.