ISC History Textbook for Class XI - PDF

# A Textbook of ISC History for Class XI ## Section A: Indian Nationalism ### 5.1 Introduction - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the most important and famous political leaders in India during the British period. - Gandhiji's contribution to the Indian freedom movement cannot...

# A Textbook of ISC History for Class XI ## Section A: Indian Nationalism ### 5.1 Introduction - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the most important and famous political leaders in India during the British period. - Gandhiji's contribution to the Indian freedom movement cannot be estimated in words. - With the help of the other freedom fighters, Gandhi started his political policies with non-violence and Satyagraha or passive resistance spread all over Indians and millions of Indian people were inspired by his ideologies. ### 5.2 Gandhi's Activities in South Africa and Passive Resistance - Gandhi was born on 2nd October, 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat. - Gandhi went to England and came to India as a barrister in law in 1891. - In 1915 when he returned to India from South Africa, he established the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmadabad. - During 1917 - 1918, Gandhi was engaged in two agrarian disputes such as the one at Champaran and Kheda and one labour dispute at Ahmadabad. - All the three events were utilized by Gandhi for propagating his technique of passive resistance or Satyagraha. - The events had brought to Gandhi the power and dignity as a political leader of India. #### 5.2.1 Gandhi in South Africa - In 1843, Gandhi went to South Africa as the lawyer of a firm of Porbandar Muslims. - Many peasants were brought from India to South Africa who was subjected to racial discrimination. - Gandhi too faced the problem of racial discrimination in South Africa. For example, while Gandhi was travelling by train to Pretoria, he carried a first-class train ticket but was thrown from the train because a white period complained of a black Indian sharing the same seat with him. - Gandhi stood against racism and apartheid in South Africa. - He did not accept the fact that Indians who settled in South Africa were treated very badly and in a very humiliating manner by the whites. - He was engaged in racism struggles against the white authorities of South Africa. - During this period in South Africa, Gandhi applied passive resistance or civil disobedience for the first time. - Before leading the Indian National Movement, Gandhi used his philosophy of Satyagraha and ahimsa in South Africa. ##### Some of the activities which were done by Gandhi in South Africa were as mentioned below: **Natal Indian Congress** - In 1894, Gandhi established the Natal Indian Congress in South Africa. - The main aim of this organization was to protest against racism in South Africa. - He stood against the whites and supported the native Africans and Indians dwelling in the country. - The organization held the movement by non-violent struggles. - Gandhi was then imprisoned by the whites. **Boer War** - In the Boer War (1899-1902), Gandhi in 1899 supported the British and established the Indian Ambulance Corps for the British against the Africans as he expected that the British colonial government would end racial discrimination in his favour. - But Gandhi was proved wrong because the British government did not remove racism in South Africa. **Phoenix Farm and Tolstoy Farm** - Gandhi established Phoenix Farm near Durban in South Africa. - The Phoenix Farm was famous because it was the birthplace of Satyagraha. - In 1910, Gandhi established a remarkable ashram known as Tolstoy Farm. - The Tolstoy Farm was named after Leo Tolstoy, the Russian writer. - The ideologies and philosophies of Leo Tolstoy greatly influenced Gandhi's political life. ### 5.3 Satyagraha and Non-Violence - Satyagraha and non-violence are the two basic norms of Gandhian philosophy which formed its pillars on ahimsa. - Gandhi sought to achieve Indian economic and educational stability. - He wanted that Indians should be independent from his economic point of view. - Gandhi believed that a major proportion resided in villages. - So he wanted to improve the condition of the poor villagers. - When the British government sold cheap foreign goods in India, Gandhi found it harmful for the Indian native industries. - Thus, Gandhi maintained his complete peaceful methods in the form of encouragement of khadi. - He encouraged 'buniyaadi shiksha' or basic education in British colonial India. - He wanted that every Indian should be educated without the aid or assistance from the British government. #### 5.3.1 Satyagraha - The word 'satya' means 'truth' and 'agraha' means force or effort. - Hence, the meaning of Satyagraha is 'the force born of truth'. - In the political point of view, Gandhi applied Satyagraha policy several times for the freedom of India. - The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) was one of the main important forms of Satyagraha. - Gandhi laid down a strict moral value for the satyagrahis who should follow such norms and stood against racism in South Africa. - He applied Satyagraha for the first time. #### 5.3.2 Non-Violence - Satyagraha and non-violence are inter-related to each other. - Non-violence meant Ahimsa. - Gandhi believed that Ahimsa was one of the prominent political policie which could be applied against the British government because ahimsa implied that one must love those whom he believes to be unjust. - Gandhi realized that the philosophy of non-violence is not a weapon of the weak persons; rather, it is a weapon of strength which can be tried all people of India. #### 5.3.3 Swadeshi - Swadeshi in India meant boycott of foreign goods and foreign raw materials in order to encourage the use of native or indigenous products and materials. - This is why Gandhi started the 'khadi' (hand-woven cloth) and many other cottage or village industries in India. - The main aim of the Swadeshi Movement was to foster economic development in India and to improve small-scale villages and cottage industries. - Gandhi thought that modern technological based industrialization should be replaced in small-scale cottage industrial production. - Most of the people in India lived in villages. - Gandhi thought that if village industries improved, then unemployment would gradually decrease. ### 5.4 Localized Satyagrahas - There are many examples of localized Satyagraha movements which sprang up in colonial India during the late 1920s, namely, Champaran, Ahmadabad and Kheda. #### 5.4.1 Champaran - In the nineteenth century, Gandhi adopted policies of passive resistance and Satyagraha which were applied on peasant movements held at Champaran (Indigo movement). - In Bihar in 1917, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, a huge number of European planters had established indigo farms. - Indigo was one of the most profitable businesses during the nineteenth century. - The peasants in India took the lands from English planters on the basis of rents. - The condition was that peasants had to grow indigo on a particular cultivated land in return for advanced payment when the cultivation season started. - It was called the 'Tinkathia system'. - On the other hand, we have popular German synthetic dye owing to its cheap rates. - Naturally, the demand of indigo fell in the European markets. - At that time, the English planters played a great role. - They tried to create 'tinakthia' (indigo) at a cheap rate because the English planters wanted to make up for their losses. - The poor peasants suffered oppression from the English planters and imposed many other illegal taxes just to create pressure on the poor peasants. - Raj Kumar Shukla, who resided in Champaran, was a follower of Gandhi. - He requested Gandhi to visit Champaran and he finally agreed to his request to visit Champaran. - When Gandhi reached Champaran, the English Commissioners ordered him to vacate the place immediately. - But he did not pay attention to their orders. - Due to disobedience towards the British government, Gandhi was arrested and imprisoned. - But he was not angry with the behaviour of the British government because he was the follower of passive resistance or non-violence. - Meanwhile, the Bihar government released him from imprisonment and allowed him to proceed further with his enquiry. - When the Bihar government allowed Gandhi to investigate further into this case, it was due to this announcement that many of the peasants resented. - Gandhi was supported by Braj Kishore, Rajendra Prasad, J. B. Kripalani. - Gandhi directly came to the district of Champaran and visited the peasants to interrogate with them and got some valuable information. - On the basis of this interrogation, a committee was held at Champaran. - The Champaran Agrarian Committee was formed in June 1917 and Gandhi was one of the leading members of the committee. - The major activities of the Champaran Agrarian Committee were as follows: - The Champaran Agrarian Committee decided that the Tinkathia system should be abolished. - Abolition of many illegal taxes which were forcefully imposed by the British planters on the poor peasants. - The British planters gave back 25% of money which they had taken illegally and unethically from the poor peasants. - The Champaran events formed one of the major starting points of the political career of Mahatma Gandhi under his leadership. #### 5.4.2 Ahmadabad (Industrial Strikes) - During the year 1918, Gandhi turned his attention towards the industrial workers movement in Ahmadabad. - This was a conflict and understanding between the mill-owners and the industrial workers. - In 1918, due to the huge outbreak of the plague in Ahmadabad, many of the workers were forced to quit their jobs in order to secure their lives. - Thus, the mill-owners faced a big problem due to the lack of workers or labourers. - So they declared a trick to get the attention of the industrial workers. - The mill-owners announced that they would pay plague bonus the mill owners further declared that the salaries of the industrial workers would be increased by 20% but they desired a 50% wage increase in their wages. - Ambalal Sarabhai, one of the leading mill-owners in Gujarat, granted generous huge amounts of donations for the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmadabad. - Here, Gandhi played a great political role between the mill-owners and the workers. - The industrial workers said that a 20% bonus was sufficient. - Any labourer who was not willing to abide by the same would be dismissed from his job. - But the mill-owners took advantage of the strike to create pressure upon the industrial labourers. - They declared a strike under Gandhi's leadership to protest against the mill-owners. - The industrial strike continued and Gandhi used to visit regularly the industrial workers at the banks of the Sabarmati River. - During this period, Gandhi applied his non-violence or Satyagraha ideologies in the events occurring at Ahmadabad. - With the support of Gandhi, the industrial workers were able to demand a bonus of 35% instead of the previous 50%. - As usual, the mill-owners had refused to pay even the 35% bonus to the industrial workers. - As a result, Gandhi declared that he would undertake fasting unless and until this matter was totally solved by the mill-owners, workers but to endorse peaceful settlements through non-violence and passive resistance. - The behaviour of Gandhi resorting to fasting worried the mill-owners who finally agreed to a 35% bonus for the industrial labourers at Ahmadabad. - This was one of the most remarkable achievements of Gandhi's political career of non-violence. #### 5.4.3 Kheda (2nd peasantry movement) - In 1917, Gandhi applied his Satyagraha and passive resistance policies on the second peasantry movement in Gujarat. - Kheda was a very wealthy village as well because of its good quality cotton. - In Kheda, several kinds of peasants lived including rich and poor as well as landless labourers. - The cotton of Kheda had a high demand in the Indian market. - In 1917, the agricultural production was very much affected owing to heavy rainfall and as a result, the price of the regular commodities became very high. - This was due to the heralding of the WWI while on the other hand, Kheda suffered a natural calamity as well. - Under these worse circumstances, the poor peasants at Kheda refused to pay revenue to the British government. - When the agreement between the British government and the peasants took place, it was clearly mentioned that if the total crop production was less than 25% of the normal gross production, then the land revenue would be shrugged totally. - As a result, two renowned barristers V. J. Patel and G. K. Parekh enquired about the real situation and decided that a major portion of the agricultural crop had been damaged due to high rainfall. - But the British authorities did not pay attention to the decision made by the two barrister. - The British authorities said that it was the result of the outsiders or the influence of Gandhi due to which the poor peasants refused to pay any land taxes. - Gandhi was the President of the Gujarat Sabha and he played an important role regarding this issue at Kheda. - He told that the British authorities intentionally put high prices on the agricultural production as compared to the normal market price. - As a result, peasants were compelled to give the high rates of land revenue to the British authorities. - Gandhi stood against such actions of the British government. - He advised the peasants that they should not pay such huge amounts of land revenue under such worsened situations. - But the picture was changed when in Gujarat; the production of rabi crops (crops which were grown in winter) was high. - As a result, the Kheda Satyagraha movement gradually weakened and the British authorities, due to the good production of rabi crops, were satisfied. - The British government decided that if any farmer had the capacity to pay the land revenue or taxes to their authorities would be appreciated but if any peasant failed to give the tax to the British authorities, he would be acquitted and would not be sustaining under pressure. - In the Kheda Satyagraha, Gandhi's co-partner, Vallabbhai Patel played a pivotal role and supported the poor peasants at Kheda. - Thus, peasant movements at Champaran and Kheda and labour movements at Ahmadabad demonstrated Gandhi's Satyagraha and passive resistance policies. - These events were a turning point in Gandhi's political career as well as for the Indian National Movement. - All such movements did not gain any significant success. This is particularly evident because a major portion of the farmers did not join in the Kheda movement. - Moreover, the Ahmadabad industrial workers resented Gandhi's interference in their strike movements. - Hence, Gandhi's early political career life in India was not too smooth. - Nevertheless, through these movements, Gandhi earned popularity, respect and trust of the Indian people. - The movements were successful in enhancing the attention of certain intelligent people including Vallabbhai Patel. - They realized the foresight of Gandhi's ideology. - Thus, Gandhi was able to enhance the attention of the Indian intelligentsia. ### 5.5 Rowlatt Act, 1919 - During the time of the First World War, the Indian people supported certain limitations of the British government although the war efficiency was prevalent and indirect effects such as inflation, food shortages, increment in land taxes etc. culminated in the country. - This was because the Indians thought that the British government would accept their demand in the country. - In the same year, Gandhi from South Africa in 1915. - In the return of Gandhi from South Africa (1915), he established the Satyagraha Ashram near Ahmadabad. - The main aim behind the establishment of the Satyagraha Ashram was to spread the ideologies of Satyagraha among Indians. - Gandhi applied his ideologies of Satyagraha and passive resistance in different political events but in 1919, when the Rowlatt Act was passed by the British authorities, then Gandhi used his ideologies of Satyagraha. #### 5.5.1 Reasons behind the Rowlatt Act - After the Partition of Bengal in 1905, the revolutionary activities and philosophies gradually increased in the Indian society. - Other reasons such as increasing prices of regular commodities, unemployment of young generations, heavy taxations imposed by the British authorities etc. culminated in the advent of the revolutionary activities among the youths. - Moreover, the revolutionary societies believed that armed and war armament revolution was the best method to fight against the British authorities. - The revolutionary groups were mainly concentrated in Bengal, parts of Maharashtra, Bihar and Punjab. - The years 1905-1919 were savored by crimes, revolutionary activities and aggressive ideologies which were spread over the Indian young generations. - In Kheda and Champaran, due to demands of high land revenue the peasants acted against the British authorities. - In the industrial sphere as well, the British government was threatened by such revolts and thus, felt insecure. - The British were apprehensive of the fact that a mass of people in India was going to move against the British government. - Thus, the British government felt the need of enacting something legally which came in the form of the Rowlatt Act, to curb the growing nationalist upsurge in the country. #### 5.5.2 Main Terms of the Rowlatt Act - In 1917, the British government appointed a Committee under the supervision of Justice Sidney Rowlatt. - The Committee a.k.a the Sedition Committee, the main aim of which was to investigate revolutionary and terrorist crimes such as revolutionary activities for the prevention of and to recommend legislation for the prevention of such revolutionary and terrorist crimes. - The British Government proposed two bills: - The first proposed bill wanted to give the power to the British government to search any house or any place without any consent or permission of the general public and the British authorities also had the right to arrest any person without any warrant. - The second bill stated that any Indian who was engaged in revolutionary activities would be detained for two years. #### 5.5.3 Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act - Gandhi, along with other nationalists, opposed the Rowlatt Act. - The nationalist leaders stood against the decision of the British government, commonly referred to as the 'Black Act'. - When the Black Act (or Rowlatt Act) was passed in 1919, Gandhi decided to follow a Satyagraha campaign against the British authorities. - He requested the Indian people to conduct hartals against the Rowlatt Act. - A huge population of India showed their opposition to the Black Act. - Gandhi requested the Indian masses to hold their patience and not to move towards violent methods. - However, some places including Bombay and Ahmadabad showed certain actions of violence. - On 13th April, 1919, at the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre at Amritsar, a huge number of people were killed by the orders of the British authorities. - After the massacre, the anti-Rowlatt Satyagraha movement lost its strength. - The anti-Rowlatt Act Satyagraha movement transformed the Congress into a national body with its new political ideologies and policies under a new leader. ### 5.6 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13th April 1919) - The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was also known as the Amritsar Massacre. - It was held on 13th April, 1919. - It was one of the important events during the time of the early twentieth century at the modern Indian history. - Jallianwala Bagh ('Bagh' meaning garden) at Amritsar was an open ground which was surrounded by huge walls of buildings and the entrance gate became very narrow. - The people of Amritsar marched towards the residence of the Deputy Commissioner to protest against the deportation of the two leaders. - As a result, many people including a few British officers were murdered during the protest at Amritsar. - During this situation, the British authorities banned public gatherings, public meetings and prohibited public assembly at Amritsar. - On 13th April, 1919, several people gathered at Amritsar because this day marked a Baisakhi festival and New Year for the Sikhs. - For the purpose of celebration of this remarkable day, people including many Sikhs gathered at Jallianwala Bagh. - However, the English authorities suspected that the public meeting was not only held for the Baisakhi festival but also for the protest against the British authorities for the passing of the Roulait Act and for the deportation of Satyapal and Kitchlow. - General Dyer reached the field and without any signal, any perception of an open space in Jallianwala Bagh. - He ordered his men to fire openly at the unarmed people. - Many jumped into the well without any hesitation and ended their lives. - According to official news, around 400 people were killed at that spot. - But the Congress demanded that at least 1,000 had been murdered by the brutal massacre. - There were around 120 dead bodies recovered from the martyrs' well. - On 13th April, 1961, Dr. Rajendra Prasad built the Memorial at Jallianwala Bagh to honour and to respect the killed innocent people. - The date 13th April was significantly remembered as a sad day filled with lugubrious guilt-filled burden. - The incident had such an impact on India that Rabindranath Tagore rejected the title of knighthood from the British. - Such brutal actions of brutality undermined the British rule in India. ### 5.7 Khilafat Movement - The Muslims of India were feeling uneasy and insecure when they saw that the Allied Powers of the WWI took a stern attitude towards the Turkey Khalifa (Caliphate). - At the end of the WWI, the Allied Powers removed all the strengths and power of the Turkish Khalifa. - As a result, the Muslin community resented the activities of the Allies. - In the Islamic religion, the Sultan of Turkey or the Khalifa was the most powerful man in their kingdom, who was believed to possess spiritual strength and power as well. - During the time of the WWI, Britain was one of the most important Allied Powers and India was her colony. - The Muslims were not happy with the attitudes of the Allied Powers under the leadership of the British authorities and the leadership of Khilafat Committee (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali), Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan and many other prominent Muslim leaders, and a countrywide agitation was organized. - The main aIm of the Khilafat Committee was to create pressure on the British government to change its attitude towards Turkey and to restore the power and strength of the Khalifa. - Gandhi became the President of the All-India Khilafat Committee. - He followed certain non-cooperation and moderate policies in the Khilafat Committee. - During this period, the Treaty of Sevres was signed by the Allied Powers with the Ottoman Turkish Empire in 1920. - The terms and conditions of the Treaty of Sevres were totally against the Ottoman Empire which ultimately dissolved it and created a ridiculous situation in Turkey. - On 9th June, 1920, the Khilafat Committee at Allahabad adopted the policy of non-cooperation and Gandhi was the leader of the Khilafat Movement (1919-1924). #### 5.7.1 Why Gandhi decided to support Khilafat Movement - The Government of India Act of 1919 based on Montagu Chelmsford Reforms was passed where the British authorities proposed that India would be helped to form a self-government but the Congress leaders realized that they would not fulfil the same. - Thus, the Congress leaders resented the activities of the British authorities. - During this period in Europe, the end of the WWI and in India, the Khilafat issue became prominent political issues in the Congress Committee. - Gandhi took the advantage and enhanced the attention of the Indian Muslims to form a National Movement from a merely Muslim-oriented movement. - The Muslims were happy as well by the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Gandhi. - The unity of the Hindus and Muslims against the British government was shown in India for the first time. - Unlike prior to this period, the Muslims did not keep themselves far away from the mainstream of the national movement. - This is why Gandhi took the golden opportunity to create the Hindu-Muslim unity as well as to enhance the attention of the Muslim community towards the national movement. - But later, Gandhi realized that the Khilafat problem was totally not fruitful.. - When the Muslims lost their interest for the national struggle or national Congress political policies, the Muslim League went away from the struggle and started going back towards the Khilafat Movement. #### 5.7.2 Significance of the Khilafat Movement - The following points show the significance of the Khilafat Movement in India during 1919-1924: - Hindu-Muslim unity - It was for the first time during the time of the Khilafat movement that both, Hindus and Muslims worked together towards achieving some goals against the British government. - The Muslims and Hindus were united and they cooperated with each other. - It was very helpful and significantly memorable in the history of freedom struggle in India. - Bringing strength to the Muslims – The Khilafat Movement made the Muslims realize that they had their own political power and position. - When a leader like Gandhi supported the Muslims in India, the Muslims also understood that the Muslim community was one of the main pillars in India, just like the Hindu community. ### 5.8 Causes for the Launching of the Non-Cooperation Movement - The basic reasons or causes why the Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Gandhi can be briefly summarized as follows: - Resentment for the Montagus Chelmsford Reforms - In 1919, Montagu Chelmsford Reforms recommended a Diarchy system. The main problem, however did not lie in the diarchy system, rather it arose when the reforms curtailed the right to vote of the Indians for the Legislative Assembly. - The British did not entertain Indian powers in the Legislative Assembly. They always strived to create a boundary wall between the political powers and the intelligentsia in India. - Moreover, the Indians had no control over the powers of the Governor-General. - Under these circumstances, the Congress at the Bombay Session resented the Montagu Chelmsford Reforms and the implementation of the Government of India Act, 1919. - They were very disappointed when they saw that their demand for self-government in India was neglected by the British authorities. - Rowlatt Act (1919) - In 1919, the British government passed the Rowlatt Act. - The main aim of the Rowlatt Act was to stop the revolutionary and terrorist activities spread all over India during 1905-1919. - The Rowlatt Act allowed the British government to imprison and check any person without apart of the Government of India Act of 1919) coupled with the Rowlatt Act formed the weakest parts of the British government because the Rowlatt resented not only the Congress leaders but also all Indian people. - At all levels in India, Gandhi organized a mass protest against the Rowlatt Act. - Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and Punjab disturbances - On 13th April, 1919, several Punjabi people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to protest against the deportation of their popular leaders, namely, Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew. - Many children and women gathered at Jallianwala Bagh. - British General Dyer ordered the unarmed crowd to be fired at. - Thousands of people had been killed on spot. - Many children lost their parents and many women died. - However, Dyer lacked the littlest of mercies to create such horrific incidents. - India was shocked to see such a cruel incident for the first time. - People all over India protested against the British authorities for this cruel tragedy. - Khilafat Movement – The Khilafat Movement which began in 1919 brought Hindus and Muslims in one platform. - It was for the first time that India saw that Hindus and Muslims worked together to protest against the British authorities because during the time of the WWI, the Allied Powers showed their powers on Turkey and her Khalifa. - Khalifa was considered to be the strength and spiritual power of all Muslims, or so Islam thought. - As a result, when the Muslims saw that the Allies removed the power and strength of the Khalifa, they resented their activities. - In British colonial India, the Indian Muslims created pressure upon the British authorities to stop these activities towards the Khalifa. - Gandhi took this opportunity and he enhanced the attention of the Muslim people to protest against the British authorities. ### 5.9 Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) - After the Khilafat Movement (1919), the Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 and lasted till 1922's Chauri Chaura Movement. - The term 'Non-cooperation' meant "not to cooperate with the evil-doer”. #### 5.9.1 Programme of the Movement - In 1920, at the Nagpur Session of the Congress Committee, it accepted the programme of the Non-Cooperation Movement. - It laid emphasis on the following courses of action: - The Indian public boycotted the course of law set up by the government, government aided schools, colleges and foreign goods. - All Indians should reject honorable posts and titles should be surrendered to the British authorities. - The Indian public should also boycott the coming elections proposed under the Government of India Act of 1919. - National schools, colleges and private courts were to be established by the efficacy of the Indian public. - Hand spinning and hand weaving (charkhas) including khadi cloth was to be received and pure Swadeshi products were to be adopted. - Nobody should attempt the government durbars and should also reject any function or public meeting associated with the British authorities. - Gandhi requested the Indian people to maintain peace and order and to make simultaneous progresses in the movement only by methods of non-violence and ahimsa. #### 5.9.2 Spread and Progress of the Movement - In early 1921, the Gandhian ideologies of non-cooperation and boycott started with great enthusiasm. - The people boycotted government schools, colleges and various national institutions were set up during this period. - The young generation of the society, especially the students, showed national participation in boycott movements. - They boycotted foreign clothes and other materials while Gandhi encouraged to accept Swadeshi clothes and native Indian products and materials. - Titles or important positions which were associated with the British government were totally rejected by the Indian leaders. - Even law courts were boycotted by the Indian people. - Bal Gangadhar Tilak was the founder of the Swaraj Fund. - The main aim of the Swaraj Fund was to collect money in order to continue the Non-Cooperation Movement. - Money was also to be collected for the installation of charkhas. - Gandhi proclaimed that charkhas were the symbol of native India. - When Prince Wales came to India on 17th November, 1921, he was welcomed with a nationwide hartal or bandh. - At that time, the British government announced that the Khilafat Movement associations as well as the Congress Party organizations were illegal. - Approximately, 30,000 people were arrested by the British government during this period. - As a result, Gandhi declared that he started mass civil disobedience movement if the British government did not alter its repressive policies on the Indian people. - Before mass civil disobedience movement started in India, there took place a case of mass violence at Chauri-Chaura in Uttar Pradesh. #### 5.9.3 Chauri Chaura Incident (February 1922) - Chauri-Chaura was a small town in the Gorakhpur district of present day Uttar Pradesh. - Two days before the incident, on 2nd February, 1922, in Chauri-Chaura market some of the local volunteers of the Non-Cooperation Movement protested against high market prices and liquor sale. - The Indian culture was a very conservative one which could not accept the sale of liquor at that time. - As a result, on 4th February, several angry peasants went to the liquor shop and started picketing of the liquor shops in the marketplace. - The British police arrested several of the protestors, beat up their leader and put him to jail. - Several other protestors were also put behind the bars. - The following day, on 5th February, 1922, the angry peasants attacked the local police station of Chauri-Chaura and 22 policemen were burnt to death on spot. - Gandhi was very much disappointed with the incident at Chauri-Chaura because he was the follower of non-violence ideologies. - On 12th February, the Congress Working Committee formally. - Gandhi was arrested in March. - Thus, the Non-Cooperation Movement which was organized by Gandhi came to an end and formed the last phase of the movement. ### 5.10 Reasons for Failure of the Non-Cooperation Movement - The main causes or reasons behind the failure of the Non-Cooperation Movement were as follows: - Middle classes did not support Gandhian ideologies - In the Non-Cooperation Movement, people from the middle class sections of the society led the movement during its beginning. - However, during the later periods, they lacked enthusiasm because they showed a lot of reservations about Gandhi's ideologies. - The middle classes' people did not support Gandhi's ideology of non-violence and ahimsa. - Hence, the strength or the enthusiasm gradually got curtailed. - Not affecting rural areas – Bombay, Madras and many other metropolitan big cities in India were the areas over which the Non-Cooperation spread. - But the movement hardly spread in other areas, especially in the rural areas of India. - Gandhi's movement failed to gain enough popularity that was required in the villages. - Many Indians supported the British government – Although Gandhi declared that all subjects related to the British government such as major portion of the people in the Indian society did not do the same and selfishly continued to cultivate good relationships with the British government instead of listening to Gandhi's teachings. - No proper central organization - The most important point was that in the Non-Cooperation Movement, there was no proper central organization to direct and coordinate the movement in India as a whole. - The Satyagraha Sabha was busy in propaganda work while the Congress Party organizations showcased difference in points of view giving rise to conflicts among their own party leaders. - No support from business classes - In India, during the time of the British period, many people were engaged with the business work. - In the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhi could not enhance the attention of the industrialist classes. - As a result, the Indian industrialists maintained their selfishness and flattered Indian national movement by continuing good relations with the British government for maintaining their own goals and directives. - Failed to understand Gandhi's ideologies- The Indian people did not understand the inner meaning of ahimsa, Satyagraha and non-cooperation. - Although Gandhi announced his ideology and several people supported him as well, during the later periods, it did not gain much success. - A typical example of this is the incident of Chauri-Chaura where Indian peasants fired the police station and burnt 22 policemen. - As a result, the enthusiasm and strength of the Non-Cooperation Movement was not much successful and did not enhance the attention of the Indian people - This was probably because some people did not believe in Gandhian ideologies of non-violence and ahmisa as they lacked patience. - Hence, Gandhi was very much disappointed and the Non-Cooperation Movement was then pushed to an end. ### 5.11 Impact or Significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement - It would be wrong to just dismiss the Non-Cooperation Movement as a disastrous failure. - The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first all-India mass movement organized under the leadership of Gandhi which gave the feeling to the British government that their stay in The main significances of the Non-Cooperation Movement were as mentioned below: - First mass scale movement - During 1920-1921, the Non-Cooperation Movement was started in India under Gandhi and it was the first national mass scale movement. - All sections of the society including workers, peasants, students and others could actively join the movement. - Moreover, oppressed people and women also took active participation in the movement. - The Non-Cooperation Movement gave Gandhi the respect and reputation of being the all-India national political leader of the Congress. - Feeling of insecurity among the British – After the Non-Cooperation Movement, the British government realized that they could no longer rule over India for an indefinite period of time because the Indian people lost their faith in the British government. - They wanted 'self-government' from the British authorities. - The movement undermined the dominant power, reputation and prestige of the British government. - After the Non-Cooperation Movement, the British authorities realized that the power of patriotism of the