History (Modern India History :- Indian National Movements (1885 – 1905) & Moderate Nationalism)

Modern India History :- Indian National Movements (1885 – 1905) & Moderate Nationalism

The history of the Indian National Movement can be studied in 3 important phases

 *The phase of moderate nationalism (1885-1905) when the Congress continued to be loyal to the British crown.

 *The years 1906-1916 which witnessed Swadeshi Movement, raise of militant nationalism (Extremism) and the Home Rule Movement.

 *The period from 1917 to 1947 known as the Gandhian era.

- Major Causes of Indian National Movements (1885 – 1905)

Political Unity :- Approx. all India for the 1st time was under single administration

Western Education     

 *Spread the concepts of liberty, equality freedom & nationalism

 *English educated Indians led the national movement & organized it

Press :- Indian Press, both English and vernacular, had also aroused the national consciousness

Administration of Lytton     

 *Arranged Delhi Durbar at Famine time

 *Vernacular press act

 *Arms Act

 *Uniform salt tax

Others     

 *Development of Communication and Transport brought Indians Closer

 *Social and Religious Movements of the Nineteenth Century

 *Economic & Political Exploitation by the British

 *Racial Discrimination

 *Ilbert Bill controversy

The Indian National Congress (1885)

 *Formed during the period of Governor General Lord Dufferin

 *Founded by A O Hume

 *Its 1st session was held at Bombay in 1885 under the presidency of W C Banerjee

 *Discussed the problems of all the Indians irrespective of their religion, caste, language and regions

 *Thus INC from the start was an all-India secular movement

 *2nd session was held in Calcutta in 1886 and the 3rd in Madras in 1887

Moderate Nationalism

Famous Leaders

Surendranath Banerjee      

 *Known as Indian Burke

 *Published Newspaper – The Bengali

 *firmly opposed the Partition of Bengal

 *founded the Indian Association (1876) to agitate political reforms

 *Convened the Indian National Conference (1883) which merged with the INC in l886

G Subramanya Aiyar     

 *Known as Grand old man of South India

 *Preached nationalism through the Madras Mahajana Sabha

 *founded the The Hindu (English) and Swadesamitran (Tamil)

Dadabhai Naoroji     

 *Known as Grand Old Man of India

 *Publication – Voice of India

 *Regarded as India’s unofficial Ambassador in England

 *1st Indian to become a Member of the British House of commons

 *Dadabhai Naoroji in his famous book Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India wrote his Drain Theory

 *Showed how India’s wealth was going away to England in the form of salaries, savings, pensions, payments to British troops in India & profits of the British companies

 *British Government was forced to appoint the Welby Commission, with Dadabhai as the first Indian as its member, to enquire into matter

Gopal Krishna Gokhale     

 *Political guru of Gandhi

 *Publication – Sudharak

 *1st to raise voice for free preliminary education

 *In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society to train Indians to dedicate their lives to the cause of the country

Main Demands of Moderates

 *Expansion and reform of legislative councils.

 *Greater opportunities for Indians in higher posts by holding the ICS examination simultaneously in England and in India.

 *Separation of the judiciary from the executive.

 *More powers for the local bodies.

 *Reduction of land revenue and protection of peasants from unjust landlords.

 *Abolition of salt tax and sugar duty

 *Freedom of speech and expression and freedom to form associations

 *Reduction of spending on army.

Methods of Moderates

 *Moderates had total faith in the British sense of justice and looked to England for inspiration and guidance (Loyal to British)

 *Moderates used petitions, resolutions, meetings, leaflets and pamphlets, memorandum and delegations to present their demands

 *Confined their political activities to the educated classes only.

 *Their main aim was to attain political rights and self-government stage by stage

:- Only demand of the Congress granted by the British was the expansion of the legislative councils by the Indian Councils Act of 1892.

Indian Councils Act of 1892

 *The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the first achievement of the Indian National Congress.

 *It had increased the number of “additional members” in the Central Legislative Council e. from 10 – 16 from 6-12

 *It had also increased the proportion of non-officials – 6 officials and 10 non-officials

 *The members were allowed to discuss the budget and criticize the financial policy of the government.

 *The budget could not be voted upon, nor could any amendments be made to it.

 *In the provinces also the number of additional members was increased with additional powers