Nationalism in Europe and India

  • Modern Nationalism: Linked to forming nation-states, altering how people viewed identity and community. Symbols, songs, and ideas played a key role in forging unity.
  • India’s Case: Nationalism in India grew alongside the anti-colonial struggle. Unity emerged through shared experiences of oppression under colonial rule, though different groups had varied impacts and ideas of freedom.

Emergence of Indian Nationalism

  • First World War (1914-1918):
    • Economic hardships due to increased taxes, price inflation, and forced recruitment.
    • Famine and influenza epidemic (1918-1921) led to millions of deaths.
  • Mahatma Gandhi:
    • Introduced Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) based on truth and non-violence. It aimed to unite Indians against injustice.
    • Early Movements:
      • Champaran (1917): Supported oppressed indigo farmers.
      • Kheda (1917): Advocated for tax relief for farmers during crop failure.
      • Ahmedabad (1918): Helped mill workers fight for better wages.

Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh

  • Rowlatt Act (1919): Allowed detention without trial. Sparked protests and a nationwide hartal led by Gandhi.
  • Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919):
    • British General Dyer ordered indiscriminate firing on peaceful protestors.
    • Led to nationwide outrage and strikes.
  • Impact: Movement was halted due to increasing violence.

Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movements

  • Khilafat Issue:
    • Aimed to defend the Ottoman Khalifa’s authority after WWI.
    • United Muslims and Hindus under Gandhi’s leadership.
  • Non-Cooperation (1920):
    • Rejection of British titles, services, goods, and institutions.
    • Focus on promoting khadi and Indian-made goods.
  • Challenges:
    • Expensive khadi and lack of alternatives led to reduced participation.
    • Differences in goals among social groups.

Participation by Social Groups

  1. Urban Middle-Class:
    • Students left schools; lawyers stopped practicing.
    • Boycott of foreign goods (e.g., cloth imports dropped significantly).
    • Challenges: High cost of khadi and slow development of alternative institutions.
  2. Peasants (Awadh):
    • Led by Baba Ramchandra, peasants opposed high rents and forced labor (begar).
    • Demands: Revenue reduction, abolishment of begar, and social boycotts of landlords.
  3. Tribals (Gudem Hills, Andhra Pradesh):
    • Resisted forest laws and forced labor.
    • Led by Alluri Sitaram Raju, who advocated for guerrilla resistance.
  4. Plantation Workers:
    • Wanted freedom to move and connect with their villages.
    • Struggled due to restrictive plantation rules.

Key Takeaways for Competitive Exams

  1. Gandhi’s Movements:
    • Satyagraha focuses on truth and non-violence.
    • Early movements addressed farmers, workers, and industrial disputes.
  2. Rowlatt Act:
    • Symbol of colonial repression; led to widespread discontent.
  3. Khilafat & Non-Cooperation:
    • Fostered Hindu-Muslim unity but faced practical limitations.
  4. Social Group Aspirations:
    • Peasants sought tax relief.
    • Tribals opposed loss of traditional rights.
    • Workers wanted basic freedoms and mobility.
  5. Major Incidents:
    • Jallianwala Bagh Massacre as a turning point.
    • Gudem Hills rebellion and Alluri Sitaram Raju as folk hero examples.

Key Terms for Understanding

  • Satyagraha: Non-violent resistance based on truth.
  • Rowlatt Act: Law allowing detention without trial.
  • Khilafat Movement: Support for the Ottoman Khalifa.
  • Non-Cooperation Movement: Boycott of British institutions and goods.
  • Begar: Forced unpaid labor.

Additional Insights

  • Global Context: Indian nationalism drew inspiration from global anti-colonial movements and Gandhi’s South Africa experience.
  • Leadership Lessons: Gandhi’s adaptability and focus on non-violence unified diverse groups, even amidst conflicts.
  • Economic Strain: Colonial economic policies aggravated poverty and fueled resentment, making movements resonate across classes.

Towards Civil Disobedience-

Background: Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement

  • In February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement.
    • Reason: Increasing violence and lack of readiness among satyagrahis for mass struggles.
  • Split in Congress over future strategy:
    • Moderates: Leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to push for reforms through council politics.
    • Radicals: Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose sought mass movements and full independence.

Developments Leading to Civil Disobedience

  1. Economic Depression (1926-1930):
    • Falling agricultural prices led to financial distress among peasants.
    • Peasants struggled to pay taxes, creating widespread unrest.
  2. Simon Commission (1928):
    • A British statutory commission without Indian representation.
    • Widespread protests with the slogan “Go back Simon.”
    • Lala Lajpat Rai was injured in a peaceful protest and later succumbed to injuries.
  3. Demand for Purna Swaraj:
    • 1929 Lahore Congress under Jawaharlal Nehru’s presidency formalized the demand for full independence.
    • Declared 26 January 1930 as Independence Day, though it saw limited public response.

The Salt March and Civil Disobedience Movement

  • Symbol of Salt: Gandhi chose salt as a unifying symbol because it was essential for everyone and taxed unfairly.
  • The March:
    • Began on 31 January 1930 with Gandhi’s letter to Viceroy Irwin outlining 11 demands.
    • Covered 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in 24 days.
    • On 6 April 1930, Gandhi broke the salt law, marking the start of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
  • Features of the Movement:
    • Broke colonial laws (e.g., salt laws, forest laws).
    • Boycotted foreign goods, picketed liquor shops, and refused taxes.
    • Involved people from all classes and regions.
    • Women participated in large numbers, seeing it as a sacred duty.

Government Repression and Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • Repression: Mass arrests, violent crackdowns, and killings.
  • Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931):
    • Gandhi agreed to attend the Round Table Conference; the government released political prisoners.
    • The conference ended in failure, leading to the relaunch of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Social Groups and Their Aspirations

  1. Rich Peasants (e.g., Patidars of Gujarat, Jats of UP):
    • Hard-hit by revenue demands and falling prices.
    • Saw swaraj as relief from high taxes but felt betrayed when revenue demands weren’t revised.
  2. Poor Peasants:
    • Wanted rent remission but received little support from Congress, which avoided alienating landlords.
  3. Business Classes:
    • Supported the movement initially for economic freedom.
    • Formed organizations like FICCI to lobby for reduced restrictions.
    • Grew cautious after 1931 due to fears of socialism and business disruptions.
  4. Industrial Workers:
    • Limited participation, though some joined to protest low wages and poor conditions.
    • Congress avoided integrating workers’ demands to maintain industrialist support.
  5. Women:
    • Actively joined marches, boycotts, and salt-making activities.
    • Most participants were from upper-caste or wealthy rural families.
    • Despite participation, women were not given leadership roles in Congress.

Impact and Decline of the Movement

  • Repression intensified after Gandhi’s return from London in 1931.
  • The movement lost momentum by 1934 due to government crackdowns and internal challenges.

Key Dates

  • 1918-19: Baba Ramchandra organized distressed peasants in UP.
  • 1921-22: Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements launched; Chauri Chaura incident.
  • 1929: Lahore Congress demanded Purna Swaraj.
  • 1930: Salt March began; Civil Disobedience Movement launched.
  • 1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact and second Round Table Conference.
  • 1934: Civil Disobedience Movement lost steam.

Competitive Insights

  • Gandhi’s Strategy:
    • Combined symbolic actions (salt march) with mass participation.
    • Sought inclusive campaigns to unite diverse social groups.
  • Social Dynamics:
    • Rich peasants, poor tenants, business classes, and workers had distinct but overlapping grievances.
  • Women’s Role:
    • Increased visibility in nationalist movements but no radical shift in their societal position.
  • British Responses:
    • Alternated between repression and negotiation (e.g., Simon Commission, Round Table Conferences).

The Limits of Civil Disobedience

  1. Dalit Participation and Untouchability:
    • Dalits (untouchables): Referred to as “harijan” (children of God) by Gandhi, this group faced systemic discrimination.
    • Gandhi’s Approach: Advocated for the elimination of untouchability as a precondition for true freedom (swaraj). Actions included temple entry satyagrahas and personally cleaning toilets to dignify the work of Dalits.
    • Dalit Leaders’ Views: Leaders like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar sought political solutions, advocating for reserved seats in legislative councils and separate electorates to ensure representation.
    • Conflict: Gandhi opposed separate electorates, fearing they would hinder social integration, leading to the Poona Pact (1932). This agreement granted reserved seats for Dalits but through the general electorate.
    Insight for Competitive Exams: Understand the contrasting ideologies of Gandhi and Ambedkar and the implications of the Poona Pact for Dalit rights.
  1. Muslim Alienation and Response:
    • Post-Non-Cooperation Movement, many Muslims felt alienated due to the Congress’s growing association with Hindu nationalist groups like the Hindu Mahasabha.
    • Communal Clashes: Frequent Hindu-Muslim riots deepened mistrust, affecting Muslim participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
    • Jinnah’s Stance (1927): Willing to give up separate electorates if Muslims had proportional representation in Muslim-majority provinces.
    • Iqbal’s Argument: Advocated for separate electorates to safeguard Muslim identity and political interests. His ideas later influenced the demand for Pakistan.
    Exam Tip: Be ready to analyze how communalism and mistrust shaped political developments and independence movements.

The Sense of Collective Belonging

  1. Cultural Processes of Nationalism:
    • Symbols and Figures:
      • Bharat Mata: An iconic representation of the nation, symbolizing unity, self-sacrifice, and spirituality.
      • Tricolour Flags: Symbols of defiance, unity, and Gandhian self-help ideals (e.g., the spinning wheel).
    • Folklore Revival:
      • Efforts by leaders like Tagore and Natesa Sastri to collect and preserve folk traditions helped instill pride in Indian culture.
      • Folklore was seen as a pure reflection of India’s true identity.
    Historical Insight: Visual and cultural symbols played a key role in creating a sense of belonging and unifying diverse communities.
  2. Reinterpreting History:
    • Nationalists wrote about India’s ancient achievements in science, philosophy, and culture to counter British narratives of Indian inferiority.
    • This glorification often focused on Hindu symbols, alienating other communities.
    Exam Angle: Link the role of cultural nationalism to the broader freedom struggle while acknowledging its limitations in inclusivity.

Conclusion: A Nation of Many Voices

  • The freedom movement unified Indians across various social groups but also revealed internal conflicts.
  • The Congress attempted to mediate these differences, but phases of unity were often disrupted by competing aspirations.
  • This led to the emergence of a complex nation with diverse voices and demands.

Competency Booster: Analyze how different visions of freedom and identity coexisted within India’s national movement.

Quit India Movement (1942)

  • Launch: Triggered by World War II’s impact and the failure of the Cripps Mission. Gandhi called for complete British withdrawal with his famous “Do or Die” speech.
  • Mass Participation: Students, workers, peasants, and women (e.g., Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua) actively joined.
  • Impact: Though suppressed with force, the movement demonstrated widespread discontent and increased momentum toward independence.

Exam Insight: Focus on the inclusivity and mass appeal of the Quit India Movement as a turning point in the freedom struggle.

By summarizing concepts and connecting them to the broader socio-political context, you can grasp the complexities of India’s struggle for independence.

THESE ALL ARE THE NOTES OF CHAPTER 2 HISTORY. AND AFTER SOME TIME YOU GET IMPORTANT QUESTIONS HERE. *#THANKS FOR VISITING, VISIT AGAIN#* 😊