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Explain why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.
Explain why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.
Nationalism in colonies is linked to anti-colonial movements because people in colonies sought independence from colonial rule, leading to the rise of nationalist movements.
How did the First World War help in the growth of the National Movement in India?
How did the First World War help in the growth of the National Movement in India?
The First World War weakened the British Empire, which created an opportunity for the Indian National Movement to escalate its demand for independence.
Why were Indians outraged by the Rowlatt Act?
Why were Indians outraged by the Rowlatt Act?
Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act because it allowed the British government to imprison people without trial and curtailed civil liberties.
Why did Gandhiji decide to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Why did Gandhiji decide to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
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What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
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Write a newspaper report on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Write a newspaper report on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
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Write a newspaper report on The Simon Commission.
Write a newspaper report on The Simon Commission.
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Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
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Discuss the Salt March to explain why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.
Discuss the Salt March to explain why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.
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Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain what the experience meant to your life.
Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain what the experience meant to your life.
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List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921. Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they joined the movement.
List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921. Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they joined the movement.
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Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1. Discuss.
Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1. Discuss.
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Study Notes
Nationalism in India
- Modern nationalism in India emerged as a response to colonialism and the sense of being oppressed under colonial rule.
- The Congress under Mahatma Gandhi tried to forge different groups together within one movement, but unity did not emerge without conflict.
The Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements
- The national movement spread to new areas, incorporating new social groups, and developing new modes of struggle after 1919.
- The First World War led to a huge increase in defense expenditure, financed by war loans and increasing taxes, causing extreme hardship for the common people.
- The war also led to forced recruitment in rural areas, causing widespread anger, and crop failures resulting in acute food shortages.
The Idea of Satyagraha
- Mahatma Gandhi introduced the idea of satyagraha, emphasizing the power of truth and the need to search for truth through non-violent mass agitation.
- Satyagraha suggested that if the cause was true, physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor, and that truth would ultimately triumph.
- Gandhiji believed that this dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.
The Rowlatt Act
- The Rowlatt Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities, and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.
- Mahatma Gandhi launched a nationwide satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act, calling for non-violent civil disobedience against unjust laws.
- The British administration responded with brutal repression, leading to widespread violence and attacks on government buildings.
The Jallianwalla Bagh Incident
- On 13 April 1919, British General Dyer opened fire on a peaceful procession in Jallianwalla Bagh, killing hundreds, in an attempt to "produce a moral effect" and create fear among satyagrahis.
The Non-Cooperation Movement
- Mahatma Gandhi saw the Khilafat issue as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement.
- In 1920, Gandhiji proposed a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat and swaraj, which would begin with the surrender of titles, boycott of civil services, and foreign goods.
- The movement would unfold in stages, with full civil disobedience campaigns to be launched if the government used repression.
Differing Strands within the Movement
- The Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement began in January 1921, with various social groups participating, each with its own specific aspirations.
- The movement started with middle-class participation in the cities, with students leaving government-controlled schools, headmasters and teachers resigning, and lawyers giving up their practices.
- Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops picketed, and foreign cloth burnt in huge bonfires, leading to a significant drop in the import of foreign cloth.
- The movement in the cities slowed down due to the high cost of khadi cloth and the difficulty of boycotting mill cloth for too long.### Non-Cooperation Movement
- The Non-Cooperation Movement was a call to action by Gandhiji to join the movement and boycott British institutions.
- Students and teachers began to return to government schools and lawyers went back to work in government courts.
Rebellion in the Countryside
- The movement spread from cities to the countryside, incorporating the struggles of peasants and tribals.
- In Awadh, peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra, a sanyasi who demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords.
- Peasants were forced to work without payment and had no security of tenure.
- Jawaharlal Nehru began visiting villages in Awadh, understanding their grievances and setting up the Oudh Kisan Sabha.
Peasant Movement
- The peasant movement developed in various forms, sometimes disagreeing with the Congress leadership.
- In 1921, the movement spread, and houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted, and grain hoards were taken over.
- Local leaders told peasants that Gandhiji had declared no taxes were to be paid and land was to be redistributed among the poor.
Tribal Peasants
- Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of swaraj in their own way.
- In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant guerrilla movement spread, not approved by the Congress.
- The colonial government had closed large forest areas, affecting the livelihoods of the hill people and denying their traditional rights.
- Alluri Sitaram Raju, a leader, claimed to have special powers and talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, but also believed in the use of force to achieve swaraj.
Swaraj in the Plantations
- Workers had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the notion of swaraj.
- For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely and retain links with their village.
- Thousands of workers defied authorities, left plantations, and headed home, but were caught and brutally beaten by the police.
Visions of Swaraj
- The visions of these movements were not defined by the Congress programme.
- They interpreted swaraj in their own ways, imagining a time when all suffering and troubles would be over.
- When they acted in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, they were identifying with a movement that went beyond their local limits.
Towards Civil Disobedience
- In 1922, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement, feeling it was turning violent.
- Within the Congress, some leaders were tired of mass struggles and wanted to participate in elections to the provincial councils.
- C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to argue for a return to council politics.
- Younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose pressed for more radical mass agitation and full independence.
The Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement
- Mahatma Gandhi found a powerful symbol in salt to unite the nation.
- On 31 January 1930, he sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands, including the abolition of the salt tax.
- The salt march, accompanied by 78 volunteers, began on 12 March 1930, from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to Dandi.
- The movement was different from the Non-Cooperation Movement, as people were now asked to break colonial laws, manufacture salt, and demonstrate in front of government salt factories.### The Civil Disobedience Movement
- In 1930, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a devout disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, was arrested, leading to angry crowds demonstrating in the streets of Peshawar.
- Mahatma Gandhi was arrested a month later, and industrial workers in Sholapur attacked police posts, municipal buildings, lawcourts, and railway stations.
- The government responded with brutal repression, leading to the arrest of around 100,000 people.
- Gandhi called off the movement and entered into the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, agreeing to participate in the Round Table Conference in London.
- The pact led to the release of political prisoners, but Gandhi returned to India disappointed as the negotiations broke down.
Participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement
- Rich peasant communities, such as the Patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh, participated in the movement, seeking to lower the revenue demand.
- Poorer peasants, including small tenants, joined the movement, seeking to remit unpaid rent to landlords.
- Business classes, including merchants and industrialists, participated in the movement, seeking protection against imports of foreign goods and a favorable exchange rate.
- Industrial working classes participated in the movement, selectively adopting some of the Gandhian programme, such as boycotting foreign goods.
- Women participated in the movement, manufacturing salt, picketing foreign cloth and liquor shops, and going to jail.
The Limits of Civil Disobedience
- The 'untouchables' or dalits, led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, participated in the movement, demanding reserved seats in educational institutions and a separate electorate.
- Dalit leaders were suspicious of the Congress, fearing that it would not address their social disabilities.
- Muslim political organizations, such as the Muslim League, were lukewarm in their response to the movement, fearing the domination of a Hindu majority.
- The movement was marked by communal clashes and riots between Hindus and Muslims, deepening the distance between the two communities.
Key Figures and Events
- Mahatma Gandhi: Called off the movement and entered into the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, participating in the Round Table Conference in London.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Led the dalits, demanding reserved seats in educational institutions and a separate electorate.
- Sir Muhammad Iqbal: As president of the Muslim League, reiterated the importance of separate electorates for Muslims as a safeguard for their minority political interests.
- Bhagat Singh: A leader of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, executed by the colonial government in 1929.
- Jawaharlal Nehru: A leader of the Congress, arrested in 1931.
- Ghaffar Khan: A devout disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, arrested in 1930.
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Explore the emergence of modern nationalism in India, its impact on people's identity and sense of belonging, and the formation of nation-states.
