Notes: NATIONALISM IN INDIA

 

NATIONALISM IN INDIA

WHY GROWTH OF NATIONALISM IN THE COLONIES IS LINKED TO AN ANTI COLONIAL MOVEMENT?

1. The struggle against colonial government raised the feelings of nationalism among Indians.

2. The injustice done by the colonial power brought them together against the govt.

3. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that tied different groups together.....

HOW DID THE FIRST WORLD WAR HELP IN THE GROWTH OF NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN INDIA?

1. The First World War created a new political & economic situation. Heavy taxes were imposed on Indians to bear war expenditure.

2. Forced recruitment in the army raised the feeling of anger among Indians.

3. Acute shortage of food made the situations miserable. People wanted to get rid of that government.

4. All these circumstances raised the feelings of nationalism in the minds of Indian.

IDEA OF SATYAGRAHA

1. Satyagraha means following the path of truth & non-violence to attain freedom & fight against injustice.

2.  It is the philosophy of Gandhi ji to end British rule in India.

3. Without being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win battle through non- violence.

THE JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE

1. A public meeting was announced for 13^th April 1919 at Jallianwala Bag, Amritsar.

2. People were allowed to assemble there.

3. General Dyer marched there with his troops. Without giving any warning he ordered his troops to shoot at the peaceful mob.

4 The causality of Indians was very heavy. This killing of innocent people converted Mahatma Gandhi in to a non-co-operator.

WHY INDIANS WERE OUTRAGED BY THE ROWLATT ACT? (1919)

1. It gave enormous powers to repress political activities.

2. This act allowed detention of political prisoners without trial.

3. It was passed by imperial legislative assembly despite the strong opposition of the Indian members.

4. So there were feelings of anger all over India against this act.

WHY DID GANDHI JI LAUNCH NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT?

a. Gandhi ji wanted to withdraw all cooperation available to Britishers in India.

b. To eradicate the adverse impact of First World War casted upon Indians.

c. The discriminatory Rowlatt Act attracted large scale protest

d. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and killing of innocents by General Dyer.

e. To implement Swaraj/self-rule.

HOW DID THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT SPREAD TO THE COUNTRYSIDE AND DREW INTO ITS FOLD THE STRUGGLES OF PEASANTS AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES? ELABORATE.

(I) STRUGGLE OF PEASANTS IN AWADH AND FORMATION OF KISAN SABHAS

(a) In Awadh, the peasant movement was led by Baba Ramchandra-a sanyasi who had earlier worked in Fiji as an indentured labourer.

(b) The movement here was against talukdars and landlords who demanded high rents from the peasants.

(c) Peasants had to do begar and work at landlords' farms without any payment.

(d) The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

(e) In many places Nai-Dhobhi bandhs were organized to deprive landlords of the services of even washermen and barbers.

(f) Jawaharlal Nehru began talking to the villagers and formed 'Oudh Kisan Sabha'.

(g) Within a month, over 300 branches had been set up in the villages around the region.

(h) As the movement spread in 1921, the houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted and grain hoards were taken over.

“IF INDIANS REFUSED TO COOPERATE, BRITISH RULE IN INDIA WOULD COLLAPSE WITHIN A YEAR”. HOW DID THIS STATEMENT HELP IN STARTING A MASS MOVEMENT IN INDIA AGAINST THE BRITISH RULE?

The mass movement unfolded in stages:

1. It began with the surrender of titles that the government awarded.

2. The boycott of Civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils.

3. In case the British used repression then Civil Disobedience campaign would be launched.

HOW WAS THE NOTION OF SWARAJ INTERPRETED BY PLANTATION WORKERS? HOW FAR WERE THEY SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING THEIR GOAL?

Swaraj was interpreted by plantation workers in their own ways they wanted to be free to go to their village.

On hearing of Non-Cooperation movement, they defied authority.

They believed Gandhi Raj will give them land in the village.

They could not achieve their goal. They were beaten up.

THE MIDDLE CLASSES PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT IN THE CITIES. EXPLAIN. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THE MOVEMENT SLOWED DOWN IN THE CITIES?

1. Khadi cloth was more expensive than mass-produced mill cloth and poor people could not afford it and therefore could not boycott mill cloth for very long.

2. Similarly boycotting British institutions also posed a problem as there were no alternative national institutions to fulfil the educational needs.

3. As a result students and teachers began trickling back to government schools and lawyers joined back work in government courts.

WHAT WAS THE KHILAFAT AGITATION? WHY DID GANDHIJI GIVE SUPPORT TO THIS AGITATION?

(1) World War - I had ended with defeat of Ottoman Turks.

 (2) There were Rumours of harsh treaty on Khalifa.

(3) To defend Khalifa’s temporal powers Khilafat Committee was formed in 1919.

(4) Its main aim was to restore the position of Khalifa which was destroyed by British after the defeat of the Ottoman Turkey in the First World War.

Mahatma Gandhi supported this movement to bring the unity between two major communities of India Muslim and Hindu to put pressure on the British Government.

MIDDLE CLASSES PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT IN THE CITIES

i. Thousands of students left the government- controlled schools and colleges, headmasters and teachers resigned, and lawyers gave up their legal practices.

ii. The council elections were boycotted in most provinces except Madras.

iii. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops picketed, and foreign cloth burnt in huge bonfires.

DESCRIBE ANY FOUR ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT.

The following was the economic impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement on the economy of India.

(a) The factory–manufactured cheap and abundant foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed and foreign cloth burnt in huge bonfires.

(b) Import of foreign cloth decreased to half causing huge economic loss to the British.

(c) The merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade even though it meant loss of profits to them.

(d) As the Non-Cooperation Movement spread, more and more people began to discard imported clothes and use Indian made clothes.

(e) Production of Indian textiles went up which was good for Indian industrialization and economy.

GANDHIJI DECIDED TO WITHDRAW THE NON-CO-OPERATION MOVEMENT BECAUSE

1. The movement was turning violent. 20 policemen were killed by an angry mob at Chauri-Chaura.

2. Gandhi ji felt that a proper training was needed before the starting of any movement.

3. Even many congressmen were tired of mass struggle & wanted to participate in the election.

EXPLAIN ANY THREE EFFECTS OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT.

Effects of non-cooperation on the economic front are:

1. Foreign goods were boycotted.

2. Liquor shops were picketed

3. Foreign clothes were burnt in huge bonfires

4. Import of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922, its value dropped from 102 crore to 57 crore.

 Merchants refused to trade in foreign goods.

i. They Started wearing only Indian clothes.

ii. Production of Indian textile mills and handlooms went up

THE SIMON COMMISSION

1. The Simon Commission was appointed in 1927 A.D to suggest constitutional reforms.

2. Indians boycotted it because this commission had not even one Indian among its seven members.

3. The Commission refused the demand of Swaraj, so Indian people decided to oppose it.

4. Indians organised hartals & held black flag demonstration with the slogan “Go Back Simon”.

IMAGE OF BHARAT MATA	GERMANIA
The image of bharat Mata was created by Abanindranath Tagore	Germania was the symbol of German nation.
She is calm, divine & spiritual	Germania is wearing a crown of oak leaves
She is having Trishul, standing beside a lion & an elephant—both symbols of power & authority.	German oak stands for heroism.

SALT MARCH WAS AN EFFECTIVE SYMBOL OF RESISTANCE AGAINST COLONIALISM BECAUSE

1. It was the first time that Indian leaders decided to violate law.

2. Thousands of Indians broke the Salt law in different parts of the country.

3. Movement was started with boycott of foreign goods & picketing of liquor shops.

4. Many leaders were arrested & the govt. tried to crush the revolt with all its power.

5. At the end Gandhi- Irwin pact was signed . The govt. agreed to release all the political prisoners.

THE POLITICAL LEADERS DIFFERED SHARPELY OVER THE QUESTION OF SEPARATE ELECTORATES BECAUSE

1. Such a policy could weaken the national movement. So Congress leaders were in favour of joint electorate.

2. On the other hand Muslim leaders were interested in separate electorate to safeguard the interests of the Muslims.

3. Even Dr B.R Ambedkar was demanded separate electorates to decrease the influence of upper caste Hindus.

ANALYZE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED GANDHIJI TO CHOOSE ABOLITION OF THE SALT TAX AS THE MOST IMPORTANT DEMAND OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT.

1. All classes could identify with salt as it was a cheap food item and also an essential item.

2. The tax on salt and the monopoly over its manufacture was a sign of the oppression of British rule.

3. It would affect the British economically.

DIFFERENT WAYS SUGGESTED BY DIFFERENT LEADERS FOR UPLIFTING THE STATUS OF DALITS IN INDIAN SOCIETY WERE FOLLOWINGS

i) Mahatma Gandhi called dalits ‘harijans or the children of God. He organized satyagraha

to secure their entry into temples and access to public wells, tanks, roads and schools to uplift them in society.

ii) He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of bhangis (sweepers) and persuaded

the upper castes to give up the practice of untouchability.

iii) However, many dalit leaders themselves wanted a political rather than social solution

to their problem. They demanded separate electorates that would choose dalit members to the Legislative Councils.

iv) Dalit leaders also demanded reservation of seats in educational institutions.

WHAT WERE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT? ELABORATE.

Limitations of Civil Disobedience movement:

1. Dalit participation limited. - Separate electorates - Poona Pact.

2. Muslim political groups lukewarm.

WHY DID MAHATMA GANDHI DECIDE TO CALL OFF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT? EXPLAIN.

By the end of 1930, the Civil Disobedience Movement had spread in many parts of India.

1. Various Congress leaders were arrested which led to widespread violent clashes with the police.

2. Mahatma Gandhi himself was arrested which led to attacks on police posts, municipal buildings, law courts, etc.

3. The British once again began a series of brutal repression of the demonstrators and attacked peaceful satyagrahis. Women and children were beaten.

4. A large number of people were arrested. Apprehending the situation turning violent and going out of control, Gandhiji decided to call off the movement.

5. Apprehending the situation turning violent and going out of control, Gandhiji decided to call off the movement.

ROLE OF WOMEN IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT/SALT MARCH

1. there were large scale participation of women in the movement.

2. Women gave Dharnas in front of liquor shops & prevent to sell & purchase of foreign goods.

3. They participated actively in salt march & boycotting the foreign goods.

4. Rich & poor women came together to fight against the colonial government.

5. Many of them went to jail happily for the Nation.

GIVE REASONS FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF VARIOUS SOCIAL CLASSES AND GROUPS IN THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

 a) rich peasants b) poor peasants c) business classes d) industrial working classes e) women

The reasons for the participation of various social classes and groups in Civil Disobedience Movement are as follows:

i. Rich peasants- rich peasant communities like Patidars of Gujarat & the Jats of U.P joined the movement because, being producers of commercial crops, they were hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices. Due to the refusal of the government to reduce the revenue demand made them fight against high revenues.

ii. Poor peasants- joined the movement because they found it difficult to pay rent.

They wanted the unpaid rent to the landlord to be remitted.

iii. Business class- because they were keen on expanding their business and for this, they wanted protection against imports of foreign goods. They thought that Swaraj would cancel colonial restrictions and trade would flourish without restrictions.

iv. Industrial working class- They did not participate in large numbers except in the Nagpur region.

Some workers did participate in, selectively adopting some of the Gandhian programme, like boycott of foreign goods, as a part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions.

 

HOW DID NATIONALISM DEVELOP CULTURALLY IN INDIA? EXPLAIN FOUR REASONS

Nationalism developed in India culturally through:

(1) Devotion to mother figure created nationalism in Indian

(2) Revival of Folklore also spread the feelings of nationalism among Indians.

 (3) Reinterpretation of history created a feeling of proud for the nation.

 (4) The came to know about the Glorious development in ancient times in all spheres

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A SENSE OF COLLECTIVE BELONGING AND HOW WAS IT PRACTICED BY THE INDIANS IN INDIA?

It means that people began to feel that they were all a part of the same nation and discovered the unity which bound them together.

1. Main cultural processes–Identity of India associated with Bharat Mata, famous song VandeMataram led to nationalism.

2. Indian folklore – Restored national identity – a sense of pride in the past.

3. Icons and symbols – Carrying the flag, holding it aloft during marches became a symbol of defiance.

4. Reinterpretation of History: British saws Indians as backward, primitive and incapable of governing. Indians started to discover India’s history – glorious development of ancient India – Pride in the Indian’s past.

 

EXPLAIN THE MOVEMENT LED BY BABA RAM CHANDRA IN AWADH AGAINST THE TALUKDARS AND LANDLORDS.

1. Awadh peasants were led by Baba Ram Chandra a sanyasi.

2. The movement was against Talukdars and landlords.

3. The landlords and Talukdars demanded exorbitantly high rents and other cesses (Tax).

4. Peasants had to do begar and work at landlord’s farms without any payment.

5. As tenants the farmers had no security of tenure.

6. The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

7. In many places nai-dhobi bandhs were organized by panchayats to deprive landlords of the services of barbers and washermen.

8. Oudh Kisan Sabha was set up headed by Jawaharlal Nehru; Baba Ram Chandra and few others.

Within a month over 300 branches were set up in the villages.

“METHOD OF REINTERPRETATION OF HISTORY WAS FOLLOWED TO ENCOURAGE A FEELING OF NATIONALISM.” GIVE ANY FIVE ARGUMENTS TO SUPPORT THIS STATEMENT.

Reinterpretation of history created a feeling of nationalism in India in the following ways.

(a) By the end of nineteenth century, there developed a feeling of sense of pride in the nation and this could be done through interpreting Indian history in a different way.

(b) The British considered Indians as backward and primitive, incapable of governing themselves. Indians responded by looking into the past to discover India’s great achievements.

(c) Glorious developments in ancient times when art and architecture, science and mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy, crafts and trade had flourished and began to be rewritten.

(d) It was felt that Indian glorious past was neglected with the coming of foreign powers.

(e) The readers were urged to read history and take pride in India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable conditions of life under the British.

“IDEAS OF NATIONALISM ALSO DEVELOPED THROUGH A MOVEMENT TO REVIVE INDIAN FOLKLORE.” SUPPORT THE STATEMENT WITH FOUR EXAMPLES.

Nationalism developed through revival of the Indian folklore in the following ways.

1. Indian nationalists took the responsibility of collecting and recording folktales sung by bards as well as legends.

2.  Many nationalists travelled to villages to gather folksongs, folktales and legends and considered them to give a true picture of traditional culture that had been corrupted and damaged by the outside forces.

3. They felt that it was necessary to preserve folk tradition to discover national identity and restore a sense of pride in one’s past.

4. Rabindranath Tagore began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths and led the movement for folk revival.

5. Natesa Sastri began publishing a massive four volumes of Tamil folk tales, called “The Folklore of Southern India”. He assumed folklore as national literature and the most trustful source of people’s thoughts and characteristics.

STRUGGLE OF THE TRIBALS IN THE GUDEM HILLS OF ANDHRA PRADESH

(a) In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, tribals started a movement under the leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.

(b) Tribals wanted to get back their traditional rights over forests.

(c) Alluri Sitaram Raju led the movement of the tribal people in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh.

(d) Many people considered him as an incarnation of God. They believed that he had many special powers.

(e) He supported Gandhiji and asked his followers to wear khadi and stop drinking. But, he organized an armed struggle against the British.

WHAT SOLUTION WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DALIT LEADERS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE DEPRESSED CLASSES? HOW DID DR. B R AMBEDKAR TRY TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF DEPRESSED CLASSES? EXPLAIN ANY THREE POINTS.

The dalit leaders sought a political solution to the problems faced by the depressed classes.

They organized themselves and demanded reservation of seats in educational institutions so that they could be a part of the decision-making process. Dr. B R Ambedkar believed that it was only through political empowerment that the situation of the depressed classes could be made better.

* He tried to improve the condition of depressed classes in the following ways.

1. He organised the dalits into an organization called the Depressed Classes Association in 1930.

2. He demanded separate electorates for dalits at the second Round Table Conference, which was finally conceded by the British.

3. He signed the Poona Pact with Gandhiji and gave up the demand for separate electorates but secured reserved seats for dalits in the provincial and central legislative councils to be voted in general election.

DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF GREAT DEPRESSION ON INDIAN ECONOMY.

The impact of Great Depression on Indian Economy:

i. India’s exports and imports nearly halved between 1928 and1934.

ii As agricultural prices fell sharply internationally as a result of this prices plunged in India.

iii Despite of this, the colonial government refused to reduce revenue demands.

iv. Peasants’ indebtedness increased. They used up their savings, mortgaged lands and sold their jewellery and precious metal