William Malcolm Hailey (1872–1969) was, by common consent, the most distinguished member of the Indian Civil Service in the twentieth century. Going out to India in 1894, he served as the first chief commissioner of Delhi (1912–18), as Finance and then Home Member of the Viceroy’s Council (1919–24), and then as Governor of the Punjab (1924–28) and the United Provinces (1928–34). As adviser to five viceroys, he was one of the most resourceful strategists seeking to deal with the challenge of Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. After leaving India he had what amounted to a second career in relation to Africa, during which he directed two editions of the African Survey (1938, 1956), wrote two important reports on British colonial administration, and served as an adviser to the Colonial Office. This is the first book-length study of Hailey’s career.
