The
First War of Independence
·
The Indians resisted the British rule in
India from the beginning.
·
This resentment found expression in a
number of civil rebellions, tribal uprisings and peasant movements which were
precursors to the First War of Indian Independence
·
Millions of Indians participated in the
First War of Independence in 1857 which shook the British rule in India.
Ø The
suppression of the war and the resentment aroused among the Indians a feeling
of nationalism. They felt that an opposition based on modern political ideas
can do away the colonial rule.
Economic
exploitation of India
India became an economic colony of Britain,
i.e., it became a source of raw materials for British industries and market for
its finished goods.
The economic system of India was adjusted
to the needs of the British at the cost of welfare of the Indians.
·
Peasants
The British exploited the peasants by
taking a large part their produce in the form of land revenue and taxes that
led the peasants into the clutches of landlords and moneylenders
·
Artisans and craftsmen
The British exploited the artisans and
craftsmen by destroying Indian handicraft industry which crippled them and left
them without any source of livelihood
·
Working class
The British factory owners exploited
the working class by paying them low wages and making them work in inhumane
conditions.
·
Educated Indians
The British exploited the educated
Indians by giving them low salaries, low posts with bleak chances of promotion
and backward economic policies
Ø This
made Indians realize that the salvation lay in uprooting the British rule
·
The British
brought the whole country under one government with native states
under indirect rule and Indian provinces under the direct rule
·
They established a strong central
government and introduced a uniform system of law and administration
in the country.
·
A uniform system civil and criminal law
was enforced throughout the country
Ø Common institution and common law
shaped India into a common mould. The Indians achieved a new sense of political
unity
Ø The modem trade and industries on
all India scale brought about the economic
unification of the country
The introduction of modern Western
education led to
The assimilation of modern western ideas of
democracy and nationalism gave a new direction to the Indian political thinking
and national awakening
·
Opened to the newly educated Indians
floodgates of liberal European political thought, economic ideas and ideals of
liberty, nationality, equality, rule of law and self-government
·
The spread of English language gave the
Indians
o
a common language in which they could
communicate
o
a
common platform to organize the movement of an all India character
Ø Thus
the influence of western education became a relevant factor to the growth of
nationalism
Development
of means of communication and transport
·
The British developed modern means of
transport and communication by building a network of roads and railways as well
as Post and Telegraph for the need of economic exploitation, administrative
convenience, military defence and commercial interests.
·
Means of transport and communication knit
together the vast country and enabled Indians
o
to easily connect to one another
o
to transmit exchanges of messages speedily
o
to come in contact with one another and
discuss problems facing the country
Ø Thus
development of means of communication and transport was relevant factor in the
growth of Nationalism
The
Rise of the middle class
The introduction of western and the
innovations brought about in the administrative and economic system gave rise
to new urban middle class in towns.
·
These newly educated class became lawyers,
doctors teachers
·
Some of them visited England for higher
studies
·
They saw the difference between the working
of political institutions there and in India
·
India they were not given a chance of
higher employment
Ø This
realization turned them into nationalists which provided leadership to the
Indian political association.
Impact
of Contemporary European Movements
·
The Contemporary Nationalist Liberation
Movements and in Europe in Greece, Italy and Ireland the French revolution
provided concepts of nationalism and self-determination initiated
Ø They
were a great stimulus to the growth of India nationalism
The
Press and the Patriotic literature
A large number of English and vernacular
newspapers and magazines were started. Prominent English ones were
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1.
Amrit Bazar Patrika
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2.
The Bengali
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3.
The Hindu
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4.
The Tribune
|
5.
The Pioneer
|
6.
The Statesman
|
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7.
The Times of India
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The Role of newspapers
i.
Spread the message of patriotism and modern
ideals of liberty, equality, freedom, home rule and independence among the
people
ii.
Carried on daily criticism to expose the
unjust policies of British government
iii.
Facilitated exchange of views among
different social groups from different parts of country and organizing
political movement
iv.
Created awareness among Indians
o
to understand the political and social
development of the outside world
o
to shape their own policies and programme
v.
National literature in the form of essays,
novels and patriotic poetry promoted the spirit of nationalism. The prominent
writers who stirred national consciousness through their writings
o
Hindi
Bharatendu Harishchandra
o
Tamil
Subra Mnaya Bharti
o
Marathi
Vushnu Shastri Chiplunkar
o
Bengali
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Rabindra Nath Tagore
o
Urdu
Altaf Hussain Hali
Socio-religious
reform movements
The socio-religious reform movement
initiated by the reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayanand Saraswati
and Swami Vivekananda created a consciousness of a new liberal society devoid
of privileges based on caste, creed and religion
·
In the social sphere they worked for the
abolition of Caste system, child marriage, dowry system, purdah system, sati
system and female infanticide social and legal inequalities
·
In the religious sphere they worked on
combating religious superstitions, idolatry, polytheism and heredity priesthood
Ø These
reform movements drew inspiration from India's rich cultural heritage and
promoted a feeling of pan- Indianism and a spirit of nationalism.
Rediscovery
of India's Past
The rediscovery of India’s national
heritage in literature, philosophy, science, arts and politics by both the
Europeans and the Indians helped the growth of nationalism their efforts gave
rise
·
to a sense of cultural unity and pride
among the Indians
·
to restore peole’s self-confidence and
self-respect
·
to counter the western propaganda that the
Indians had never been able to rule themselves and that they were destined to
be ruled by foreigners
Racial
Discrimination
·
The British looked down upon Indians with
contempt, tried to maintain distance from them
·
After the First War of Independence of 1857
they considered Indians as inferior race.
Ø The
racial discrimination and arrogance of British towards the Indians made the
Indians feel humiliated and led them to be united
Repressive
Policies of Lord Lytton
The
Vernacular Press Act 1878
·
The Vernacular Press Act forbade vernacular
papers to publish any material that might excite the feelings of
dissatisfaction against the British Government.
Ø This
Act led the people to resent the British policies and accelerated movement
against British rule.
The
Arms Act 1879
·
The Arms Act of 1879 made it a criminal
offence for Indians to carry arms without license
·
This Act was not applicable to the British
Ø This
repressive Act led the people to resent the discriminatory policies of the
British and accelerated movement against their rule.
Delhi
Durbar
Organizing a Grand Delhi Darbar in 1877 to
proclaim Queen Victoria as the Empress of India costing lakhs of rupees
disregarding the welfare of Indians who were in the grip of famine
Age
in Civil Services Examination
Reduction in the maximum age limit for the
civil service examination from 21 to 19 years for Indians
Elimination
of import duties on British textiles
Ilbert
Bill Controversy
Introduced by Viceroy Council Member Sir
C.P. Ilbert
·
The Bill sought to abolish judicial
disqualification based on racial distinctions
·
This was resented by the British and they
started Defence Associations to defend their special privileges
·
This caused counter agitation by educated
Indians
·
The government withdrew the Bill
·
The moderate measure of vesting power of
trying Europeans by a sessions judge and a district judge who might be an
Indian
Ø This
made it clear to the Indians that justice and fair play could not be expected
where the interest of European community were involved
The
precursors to the Congress
·
Raja Rammohan Roy was pioneer of political
movement on India
o
Liberty of press
o
Appointment of Indians in Civil courts and
other higher posts
o
Codification of laws
·
The first political association in India –
Landholders society in Kolkatta
·
Others that followed
o
Bengal British Indian Society
o
British Indian Society
o
East India Association
o
Indian Association
·
These associations served as a base for
formation of the Congress the All India Political organization
London
Indian Society
·
First organization to be formed in England
by Indian students under the direction of Dadabhai Naroji
·
It voiced the grievances of Indians
·
It opposed the misinterpretation of Indians
in English press
·
Pherozeshah Mehta W.C. Banerjee
Poona
Sarvajanik Sabha
·
Political organization of Western India
·
Founded by Justice Ranade
·
Made people aware urged them to fight
constitutionally for their political rights
Indian
Association
·
Meant to be an all India Movement Branches
in Bengal and outside Bengal
·
Headed by Surendranath Banerjea
·
Members were lawyers, professionals and
educated middle class
·
Objectives
o
Creation of strong body of public opinion
o
Integration of Indian people on the basis
of common political interests
o
Promotion of friendly relations between
Hindus and Muslims
o
Mass participation in public movements
·
Achievements
o
Agitations against oppressive License Acts,
The Arms Act, The Vernacular Press Act and lowering the age limit from 21 to 19
years for ICS examinations
o
Took up the cause of the workers on British
owned plantations
East
India Association
·
Founded in London by Dadabhai Naroji
·
Branches in Mumbai, Kolkatta and Chennai
·
Provided information on Indian subjects to
British citizens and Members of Parliament
·
Voiced grievances of Indians and suggested
remedial measures
·
Dadabhai Naroji’s opinion
o
British were basically just and good
o
Wanted to place the true state of affairs
of India before the people of England so that problems of Indians may be
resolved
Formation/foundation
of the Indian National Congress
The precursors of the Congress were local
in character.
They prepared the ground for creating an
all India political association.
·
Surendranath Banerjea, Dadabhai Naroji,
Justice Ranade were working towards founding a formation of an all India
political body.
·
A.
O. Hume, a retired British member of the India Civil service wanted to set up
an organization that would draw the government's attention to the
administrative drawbacks and suggest means to rectify them.
·
Hume wrote an open letter to the graduates of
the Calcutta University asking them to dedicate themselves to the service of
the people by forming a union to organize well-defined course of action.
·
This appeal produced the desired result. In
1884 Hume, in consultation with the Indian leaders, laid the foundation of
Indian National Union.
·
The
conference of the representatives of different parts of India was convened by
the Union at Pune on December 25, 1885.
·
Plague broke out in Pune. So the meeting of
the Union was held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Mumbai from December 28
to 31, 1885 under the presidentship of Womesh Chandra Bonerjee. It was attended
by 72 delegates.
·
On the suggestion of Dadabhai Naroji the name
of the Union was changed to the Indian National Congress.
Ø Thus,
the foundation of the Indian National Congress was laid on December 25, 1885.
The Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, favored the formation
of the Congress because he wanted it to act as a 'safety-valve' for popular
discontent, thereby, safeguarding the British interest in India.
The Congress stood for the hopes and
aspirations of the people of India who accepted its leadership in launching the
freedom movement. It achieved the goal of freedom in 1947.
In the presidential address of the first
session of the Indian National Congress held Mumbai in December, 1888 WC.
Bonerjee declared the following as the aims of the Indian National Congress:
1. To
promote friendly relations between nationalist political workers from different
parts of the country
2. To
develop and consolidate the feelings of national unity irrespective of caste,
religion or province
3. To
formulate popular demands and present them before the government
4. To
train and organize the public opinion in the country
Sessions
of Congress
The Congress held its sessions every year
in December to chalk out programme to achieve its aims.
Ø The
First session of Congress was held in 1885 at Mumbai under the leadership of
W.C. Bonerjee.
Ø It
was attended by 72 delegates from across the country including Dadabhai Naroji
and Justice Ranade
Ø The
Second session of Congress was held in 1886 at Kolkatta under the leadership of
Dadabhai Naroji.
Ø The
delegates were received by Lord Dufferin as distinguished visitors to the
capital.
Ø The
twenty third session of Congress was held in 1907 at Surat under the leadership
of Rash Behari Ghosh.
Ø There
was a dispute between the moderate and assertive wing of the Congress regarding
the methods of agitation in Bengal after its partition.
Ø The
Congress split for a decade.
Ø The
Thirty first session of the Congress was held in 1916 at Lucknow under the presidentship of
Ambika Charan Mazumdar.
Ø The
Moderate and Assertive wing of the Congress united back after a decade.
