Social Origins of Officers in the Indian and British Home Army: 1758-1962

From an historical and theoretical point of view, there was every reason to believe that the military would be heavily recruited from non-industrialized areasfrom agricultural areas and small towns . . . most fundamental there has been an integral association between military institutions and rural society. But in the final analysis the link between rural social structures and military organization is based on the more central issue of career opportunities. 2