Resisting the Rule of Law in Nineteenth-Century Ceylon: Colonialism and the Negotiation of Bureaucratic Boundaries

This book offers in-depth insights on the struggles implementing the rule of law in nineteenth century Ceylon, introduced into the colonies by the British as their “greatest gift.” The book argues that resistance can be understood as a form of negotiation to lessen oppressive colonial conditions, and that the cumulative impact caused continual adjustments to the criminal justice system, weighing it down and distorting it.

The tactical use of rule of law is explored within the three bureaucra...