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The British Army's Officer Purchase System 1664-1871

Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.

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For over two centuries, from 1660 to 1871, the British Army allowed officers to buy their commissions and promotions. Wealthy aristocrats like Lord Cardigan could purchase their way to command without ever seeing battle, leading to disasters like the Charge of the Light Brigade. It's easy to dismiss the purchase system as simply elitist and corrupt—a recipe for incompetence that blocked talent and rewarded privilege.

But the real story is far more nuanced.

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The Battle of Assaye 1803

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