Nationalism in India
1. Background and Context
• Nationalism: A sense of collective identity and pride in one’s nation.
• In India, nationalism grew as a response to colonial oppression and was shaped by
Gandhian ideology, mass movements, and cultural revival.
What is Nationalism?
• – Nationalism is the belief that people who share a common language, culture, history, and territory should unite as one nation.
• – It creates a collective identity—a feeling of belonging to a larger community beyond local or regional ties.
• – In India, this idea became a powerful force against British colonial rule.
🔹Why Did Nationalism Emerge in India?
1. Colonial Oppression
• – The British exploited India economically through heavy taxation, land revenue systems, and destruction of local industries.
• – Indians were treated as second-class citizens in their own country.
• – Racial discrimination and denial of civil rights created widespread resentment.
2. Western Education and Ideas
• – Educated Indians were exposed to liberal and democratic ideas from Europe—like liberty, equality, and self-rule.
• – Thinkers like Dadabhai Naoroji, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and Swami Vivekananda inspired national pride and reform.
3. Economic Exploitation
• – The drain of wealth theory (explained by Dadabhai Naoroji) showed how British policies impoverished India.
• – Famines, poverty, and unemployment increased under British rule.
4. Cultural Revival
• – Nationalists revived Indian history, languages, and traditions to instill pride.
• – Symbols like Bharat Mata, national songs (e.g., Vande Mataram), and folk tales helped unite people emotionally.
5. Role of the Press
• – Indian newspapers in regional languages spread nationalist ideas and exposed British injustices.
• – Journals like Kesari (by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) and The Hindu played a key role.
• 🔹Gandhian Influence
• – Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and gave nationalism a mass character.
• – He introduced Satyagraha—a method of non-violent resistance that appealed to both the educated and the rural masses.
• – Gandhi’s leadership made nationalism inclusive, involving peasants, women, tribals, and workers.
• 🔹Mass Movements as Catalysts
• – Movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, and Quit India Movement mobilized millions.
• – These movements gave people a sense of unity and purpose, strengthening the national identity.
2. The First World War and Its Impact
• Economic hardship: Increased taxes, price rise, and forced recruitment.
• Crop failures (1918–19) and influenza epidemic worsened public suffering.
• These conditions created discontent and a fertile ground for nationalist ideas.
1. Economic Hardship
• – Increased Taxes: To fund the war, the British government raised taxes on income, salt, and goods. This burdened both urban and rural populations.
• – Price Rise: Wartime inflation caused the prices of essential commodities like food grains, cloth, and kerosene to soar, making daily life difficult for common people.
• – Forced Recruitment: The British forcibly recruited Indian men into the army, especially from rural areas. Families lost breadwinners, and resentment grew.
2. Crop Failures and Epidemics
• – Crop Failures (1918–19): Consecutive years of poor harvests led to food shortages and famine-like conditions in many regions.
• – Influenza Epidemic: The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918–19 killed over 12 million Indians, making it one of the deadliest events in Indian history.
• – These twin disasters deepened public suffering and exposed the British administration’s failure to protect Indian lives.
3. Political Discontent and Broken Promises
• – Indians supported the British war effort with the hope of political concessions after the war.
• – However, instead of reforms, the British passed the Rowlatt Act (1919), which allowed detention without trial—this felt like a betrayal.
• – This disillusionment fueled anger and a desire for self-rule (Swaraj).
4. Rise of Nationalist Movements
• – The war period saw the revival of the Home Rule Movement led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, demanding self-governance.
• – Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a national leader during this time, advocating nonviolent resistance.
• – The war thus acted as a catalyst, transforming scattered protests into a mass nationalist movement.
5. Contribution of Indian Soldiers
• – Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers fought in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
• – Their bravery raised questions: if Indians could die for the Empire, why couldn’t they govern themselves?
• – Returning soldiers brought back new ideas of freedom and equality, further energizing the nationalist cause.
• In short, the First World War exposed the economic exploitation, political injustice, and moral bankruptcy of colonial rule—laying the groundwork for a more united and determined freedom struggle.
3. The Idea of Satyagraha
• Introduced by Mahatma Gandhi after his return from South Africa in 1915.
• Based on truth (satya) and non-violence (ahimsa).
• Major early satyagrahas:
• Champaran (1917) – Indigo farmers.
• Kheda (1918) – Peasants affected by crop failure.
• Ahmedabad (1918) – Cotton mill workers.
🔹What is Satyagraha?
• The term Satyagraha is derived from two Sanskrit words:
• Satya = Truth
• Agraha = Firmness or insistence
• So, Satyagraha means “insistence on truth” or “truth-force.”
• It is a philosophy and method of non-violent resistance developed by Mahatma Gandhi to fight injustice without hatred or violence.
• 🔹Origins and Principles
• Gandhi first developed this method in South Africa while fighting racial discrimination against Indians.
• After returning to India in 1915, he applied it to the Indian context.
• Core principles:
• Truth (Satya): Always speak and act truthfully.
• Non-violence (Ahimsa): Never harm others,
even your oppressors.
• Self-suffering: Willingly endure pain without retaliation to awaken the conscience of the oppressor.
• Fearlessness and discipline: A Satyagrahi must be morally strong and self-controlled.
🔹Early Satyagraha Movements in India
• 1. Champaran Satyagraha (1917) – Bihar
• Issue: Indigo farmers were forced to grow indigo under the exploitative tinkathia system.
• Leader: Gandhi, persuaded by local farmerRajkumar Shukla.
• Outcome: British authorities were forced to abolish the system. It was Gandhi’s first successful civil disobedience movement in India.
• 2. Kheda Satyagraha (1918) – Gujarat
• Issue: Farmers faced crop failure but were still forced to pay land revenue.
• Demand: Suspension of tax collection.
• Outcome: The government agreed to relax revenue collection. Gandhi gained support from leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• 3. Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918) – Gujarat
• Issue: Cotton mill workers demanded better wages.
• Method: Gandhi used hunger strike as a tool of moral pressure.
• Outcome: The workers’ demands were partially accepted, and Gandhi’s role as a mediator was widely respected.
• 🔹Significance of These Movements
• These early satyagrahas showed that non violent mass action could challenge British authority.
• Gandhi’s approach united peasants, workers, and the educated middle class under a common cause.
• It laid the foundation for future mass movements like Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience.
4. The Rowlett Act (1919)
• Allowed detention without trial.
• Led to widespread protests.
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919): General Dyer ordered open fire on a peaceful
gathering in Amritsar.
• What Was the Rowlett Act?
• Officially called the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919.
• Passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in March 1919, based on recommendations by the Rowlett Committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlett.
• It allowed the British government to:
• Arrest anyone suspected of revolutionary activities without a trial.
• Detain them for up to 2 years.
• Conduct searches without warrants.
• Impose press censorship and restrict public gatherings.
• Indians called it the “Black Act” because it violated basic civil rights and legal protections.
• Indian Response: Rowlett Satyagraha
• Mahatma Gandhi launched a nationwide protest called the Rowlett Satyagraha on 6 April 1919.
• It included hartals (strikes), peaceful demonstrations, and mass prayers.
• The movement was non-violent, but British authorities responded with brutal repression, especially in Punjab.
• The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919)
• Location:
• Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar (Punjab), a walledgarden with only one narrow exit.
The Gathering:
• Thousands of people, including women and children, had assembled peacefully to:
• Protest the Rowlett Act.
• Demand the release of leaders Dr. Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchew, who had been arrested.
The Attack:
• General Reginald Dyer entered the garden with 90 soldiers.
• Without warning, he blocked the only exit and ordered his troops to fire on the unarmed crowd.
• The firing lasted 10 minutes, with 1,650 rounds fired until ammunition ran low.
The Aftermath:
• Official death toll: 379 (Indian estimates suggest over 1,000 killed and 1,200 injured).
• The massacre shocked the nation and the world.
• It led to:
• Widespread outrage and mourning.
• A complete loss of faith in British justice.
• The beginning of mass nationalist movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Historical Significance
• The massacre became a turning point in India’s freedom struggle.
• It exposed the brutality of colonial rule and united Indians across regions and religions.
• Even British leaders like Winston Churchill condemned the act as “monstrous” in Parliament.
5. The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924)
• Launched by Ali brothers to protest the dismemberment of the Ottoman Caliphate.
• Gandhi saw it as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims.
🔹Background: What Sparked the Movement?
• – After World War I, the Ottoman Empire (led by the Caliph, the spiritual head of Sunni Muslims) was defeated.
• – The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) proposed to dismember the Ottoman Empire, stripping the Caliph of political power and territory.
• – This deeply hurt the sentiments of Indian Muslims, who saw the Caliph as their religious leader.
• 🔹Who Led the Movement?
• – The movement was spearheaded by the Ali brothers:
• – Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar
• – Maulana Shaukat Ali
• – Other key leaders included Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Hasrat Mohani, and Hakim Ajmal Khan.
• 🔹Objectives of the Khilafat Movement
• – Protect the Caliphate and prevent its disintegration.
• – Pressure the British government to honor Muslim sentiments.
• – Unite Indian Muslims under a common cause.
• – Collaborate with Indian nationalists to fight colonial rule.
• 🤝Gandhi’s Role and Hindu-Muslim Unity
• – Mahatma Gandhi saw the Khilafat issue as a golden opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims in a shared struggle.
• – He supported the movement and linked it with the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920– 22).
• – This alliance gave the freedom struggle a pan-Indian, multi-religious character
• 🔥Major Events
• – All India Khilafat Committee was formed in 1919.
• – Khilafat Conferences were held across India to mobilize support.
• – The movement merged with Gandhi’s Non-cooperation Movement, leading to:
• – Boycott of British goods and institutions.
• – Resignation from government jobs.
• – Promotion of Swadeshi and Khadi.
• 📉Decline of the Movement
• – In 1924, the Caliphate was officially abolished by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey.
• – This ended the religious basis of the movement.
• – The Chauri Chaura incident (1922) also led Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• – Many Muslims felt disillusioned, and the Hindu-Muslim unity weakened.
• 🧭Significance
• – It was one of the first major pan-India movements involving both Hindus and Muslims.
• – It strengthened the national movement and gave it a broader base.
• – Though it ended in disappointment, it set the stage for future mass mobilizations.
6. The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
• Launched after the Khilafat issue and Jallianwala Bagh.
• Key features:
o Boycott of British institutions (schools, courts, titles).
o Promotion of Swadeshi and handspinning (charkha).
• Movement was called off after the Chauri Chaura incident (1922).
🔹Background and Causes
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919): The brutal killing of hundreds of peaceful protestors in Amritsar deeply shocked the nation and shattered faith in British justice.
• Rowlett Act (1919): Allowed detention without trial, sparking widespread anger.
• Khilafat Issue: The dismemberment of the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I hurt Muslim sentiments. Gandhi saw this as a chance to unite Hindus and Muslims in a common cause.
• Failure of Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms: These reforms introduced dyarchy but fell short of Indian expectations for self-rule.
• 🔹Launch of the Movement
• Formally launched by Mahatma Gandhi in August 1920.
• Endorsed by the Indian National Congress at its Calcutta Session (September 1920) and later at Nagpur Session (December 1920).
• Gandhi called it a way to achieve Swaraj (selfrule) through non-violent non-cooperation.
• 🔹Key Features and Actions
• Boycott of British Institutions:
• Schools, colleges, law courts, and legislative councils were boycotted.
• Students left government schools; lawyers like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru gave up their practices.
• Surrender of Titles and Honors:
• Indians returned British titles like Rai Bahadur and Kaiser-i-Hind.
• Promotion of Swadeshi:
• Emphasis on using Indian-made goods and rejecting foreign products.
• Hand-spinning (charkha) and wearing khadi became symbols of self-reliance.
• Peaceful Protests and Hartals:
• Strikes, rallies, and demonstrations were held across the country.
• The movement spread to villages, involving peasants, workers, and women.
• 🔹Widespread Impact
• The movement became truly national, involving people from all walks of life.
• It revived Indian pride, promoted economic self-sufficiency, and weakened British authority.
• 🔥Chauri Chaura Incident (1922) and Withdrawal
• On 5 February 1922, in Chauri Chaura (Uttar Pradesh), a peaceful protest turned violent.
• Protestors clashed with police and set a police station on fire, killing 22 policemen.
• Gandhi, committed to non-violence, was deeply disturbed and called off the movement on 11 February 1922.
• 🧭Significance
• Though it didn’t achieve immediate political goals, it:
• Mobilized the masses like never before.
• Proved the power of non-violent resistance.
• Marked Gandhi’s emergence as the undisputed leader of the national movement.
7. The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34)
• Triggered by the Salt March (Dandi March) led by Gandhi in 1930.
• Demands included:
o Abolition of salt tax.
o Reduction in land revenue.
o Release of political prisoners.
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931): Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.
• Background and Causes
• Simon Commission (1928): It had no Indian members, sparking protests.
• Lahore Session of Congress (1929): Under Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress declared Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) as its goal.
• Independence Day: Celebrated on 26 January 1930, urging people to prepare for mass action.
• Gandhi’s Eleven Demands: Included abolition of salt tax, reduction in land revenue, and release of political prisoners. When the British ignored them, Gandhi launched the movement.
• 🧂The Salt March (Dandi March)
• Start Date: 12 March 1930
• Route: From Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (Gujarat), covering 240 miles (387 km) in 24 days.
• Participants: Gandhi and 78 volunteers.
• Action: On 6 April 1930, Gandhi broke the salt law by making salt from seawater—this symbolic act ignited mass protests across India.
• 🔹Key Demands of the Movement
• Abolition of Salt Tax: Salt was a basic necessity, and the British monopoly on it was seen as unjust.
• Reduction in Land Revenue: Farmers were burdened by high taxes.
• Release of Political Prisoners: Many nationalists had been jailed for their activism.
• Cut in Military Expenditure and Civil Services Salaries.
• Protection of Indigenous Industries and Right to Manufacture Salt.
• 🔥Spread and Activities
• People across India:
• Boycotted foreign goods.
• Refused to pay taxes.
• Picketed liquor shops and British institutions.
• Women, students, and peasants participated in large numbers.
• The British responded with mass arrests— over 60,000 people were jailed, including Gandhi.
• 🤝Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)
• Signed in March 1931 between Mahatma Gandhi and Viceroy Lord Irwin.
• Terms:
• Congress would suspend the movement.
• Gandhi would attend the Second Round Table Conference in London.
• In return, the British agreed to:
• Release political prisoners (except those guilty of violence).
• Allow peaceful picketing and salt production.
• However, the conference failed to yield results, and the movement resumed in 1932.
• 📉Decline and End
• The movement lost momentum due to:
• Repression by the British.
• Internal divisions within Congress.
• Failure of the Round Table Conference.
• It officially ended in 1934, but it had already laid the groundwork for future struggles.
• 🧭Significance
• It was the first movement to demand complete independence.
• Showed the power of non-violent mass protest.
• Deepened national unity and international awareness of India’s cause.
8. Participation of Various Social Groups
• Peasants: Demanded reduction in taxes.
• Tribal communities: Protested forest laws.
• Business class: Supported swadeshi to protect Indian industries.
• Women: Participated in picketing and protests.
1. Peasants
• Grievances: High land revenue, forced cultivation, and exploitation by landlords and colonial officials.
• Involvement:
• Joined movements like Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience to demand tax reduction and abolition of zamindari.
• In regions like Awadh, led by Baba Ramchandra, peasants refused to pay taxes and attacked landlords’ estates.
• Nature of Participation: Often driven by economic distress rather than abstract political goals like Swaraj.
• 🌲2. Tribal Communities
• Grievances: British forest laws restricted their traditional rights to graze cattle, collect wood, and hunt.
• Involvement:
• In Andhra Pradesh, the Gudem Hills rebellion was led by Alluri Sitarama Raju, who inspired tribals to take up arms.
• Tribals supported Gandhi’s call but often used violent methods, believing he too supported armed struggle.
• Nature of Participation: Focused on restoring traditional rights and resisting colonial control over forests.
• 💼3. Business Class
• Grievances: British policies favored imports and hurt Indian industries.
• Involvement:
• Supported Swadeshi and boycott of foreign goods.
• Funded the Congress and nationalist newspapers.
• Formed organizations like FICCI (1927) to promote Indian economic interests.
• Nature of Participation: Aimed at economic self-rule and protection of Indian industries.
• 👩🦰4. Women
• Involvement:
• Participated in picketing liquor shops, boycotting foreign cloth, and joining marches.
• Women like Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, and Kamala Nehru became prominent figures.
• Rural women also joined in large numbers, especially during the Salt March.
• Nature of Participation: Though often symbolic, their involvement challenged traditional gender roles and added moral strength to the movement.
• 🧭Key Insight
• Each group joined the national movement with different goals:
• For peasants and tribals, it was about livelihood and survival.
• For the business class, it was about economic freedom.
• For women, it was a step toward social and political empowerment.
• Yet, under Gandhi’s leadership, these diverse aspirations were woven into a unified struggle for independence.
• Would you like a comparison chart or visual summary of these groups’ roles? It could make your notes even sharper for revision!
9. The Sense of Collective Belonging
• Fostered through:
• Folklore and songs.
• National symbols (flag, Bharat Mata).
• Revival of Indian history and culture.
• What Does It Mean?
• It refers to the emotional and cultural unity that made people feel they were part of one nation, despite differences in language, region, religion, or class.
• This feeling didn’t arise automatically—it was carefully nurtured through shared struggles and cultural expressions.
• 🎶1. Folklore and Songs
• Nationalists believed that folk tales, songs, and legends reflected the true spirit of India.
• They began collecting and publishing these to revive pride in Indian traditions.
• Rabindranath Tagore collected Bengali ballads and nursery rhymes.
• In the South, Natesa Sastri compiled The Folklore of Southern India, calling it the “national literature” of the people.
• These efforts helped people reconnect with their cultural roots and see themselves as part of a larger Indian identity.
• 🏳️2. National Symbols
• Symbols helped people visualize the nation and feel emotionally connected to it.
• 🧕Bharat Mata:
• First imagined by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who also wrote Vande Mataram as a hymn to the motherland.
• Later painted by Rabindranath Tagore as a calm, divine figure offering food, learning, and clothing.
• Other versions showed her with a lion and trishul, symbolizing strength and power.
• Devotion to Bharat Mata became a symbol of patriotism.
• 🚩National Flag:
• During the Swadeshi Movement, a flag with eight lotuses (for eight provinces) and a crescent moon (for Hindu-Muslim unity) was designed.
• Later, Gandhiji’s Swaraj flag featured a spinning wheel (charkha) at the center, symbolizing self-reliance and unity.
• 3. Revival of Indian History and Culture
• Nationalists reinterpreted Indian history to highlight its achievements and glorious past.
• They emphasized ancient Indian contributions in science, art, and governance to counter colonial narratives of inferiority.
• This helped instill pride and confidence in being Indian.
• Why It Mattered
• These cultural tools created a shared imagination of the nation.
• They helped people from different backgrounds feel part of a common cause.
• The emotional connection made the freedom struggle more powerful and inclusive.
10. Key Takeaways
• Nationalism in India was multi-layered and involved diverse groups.
• Gandhi’s leadership transformed it into a mass movement.
• The struggle was not just political but also cultural and social.
• Nationalism in India Was Multi-Layered and Involved Diverse Groups
• The Indian freedom struggle wasn’t led by a single class or community—it was a broad-based movement.
• Peasants, tribals, industrial workers, businessmen, students, and women all participated, each with their own motivations.
• For example:
• Peasants wanted relief from oppressive taxes.
• Tribal communities resisted forest laws.
• Business classes supported Swadeshi to protect Indian industries.
• Women broke social barriers to join protests and picketing.
• This diversity made the movement resilient and far-reaching, but also complex, as different groups interpreted nationalism in their own ways.
• 🔹2. Gandhi’s Leadership Transformed It into a Mass Movement
• Before Gandhi, nationalism was largely limited to educated elites and urban centers.
• Gandhi’s arrival in 1915 changed everything:
• He introduced Satyagraha and Ahimsa, making the movement morally powerful and accessible.
• He connected with rural India, bringing in peasants, artisans, and women.
• His use of symbols (like the charkha), simple language, and inclusive approach made nationalism a people’s movement.
• Under his leadership, movements like Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India mobilized millions across the country.
• 🔹3. The Struggle Was Not Just Political but Also Cultural and Social
• The freedom movement wasn’t only about removing British rule—it was about redefining Indian identity.
• Cultural revival played a key role:
• Folklore, songs, and symbols like Bharat Mata and the national flag helped build emotional unity.
• Khadi and Swadeshi promoted economic self-reliance and pride in Indian craftsmanship.
• Social reform was also central:
• Gandhi campaigned against untouchability, promoted Hindu-Muslim unity, and encouraged women’s participation.
• The idea of Swaraj (self-rule) included moral, social, and economic upliftment, not just political independence.
• 🧭Final Insight
• India’s nationalist movement was not a single thread, but a rich tapestry woven from many voices, struggles, and dreams. Gandhi’s
leadership gave it coherence, and cultural unity gave it soul.
THE END