INDIA THEME 2 Flashcards
The changing political relationships between 1920 and 1930 - Gandhi
Gandhi emerged as an effective leader, he previously left for South Africa however after hearing the news about the Amritsar Massacre and the Rowlatt act, he decided to come back.
Gandhi emphasised the concept of Satyagraha which was peaceful protests and moving towards a better independent India through amicable relationships.
Upon his return to India, he had been involved in delivering justice for situations in Bihar and Ahmedabad.
Gokhale and Tilak had passed away hence, the Congress’ leadership was in the hands of M. Nehru and Gandhi.
He adopted a peasant lifestyle as he wore dhothis and he claimed that regressing back to small rural communities would help the strive for independence - this was impossible due to the urban cities of Bombay
The non cooperation campaign between 1920 and 1922? Why and what did it consist of?
Why and How? Gandhi was able to convince the Hindus and Muslims through his charisma and charm to pursue a campaign that strived for independence. He was able to persuade them into unification in order for a better india as the main aim was to make the Raj ungovernable.
What did it entail?
Boycotts- it was mainly boycotts of shopping, schools and workplaces, Gandhi told lawyers and other workers to boycott going to work - to not pay taxes.
He did not want the campiagn to fall into the hands of the Bombay mob however this did not happen as the boycotts took place in areas that were vital to the Raj’s taxation. W/o tax, they make no money, hence affecting their govt.
GOOD REACTION?
There was a lot of unification, everyone worked together, students did not attend classes nor exams, there was a widespread of boycotts, lawyers did not attend their work posts.
M. nehru visited a village and understood the extent of poverty there and realised that they need representaion.
BAD REACTION
-It was impossible for the parents to not send their choildren to school for a very long time and some people aka lawyers or bankers had to attend work.
-There were many hartals going on and when the prince of south wales visited, it turned into days of looting and rioting.
-Muslims Moplahs of Molaba declared a jihad and tried to convert hindus into muslims
-Events at the chauri chaura police station where the mob ignited fire in a police station and 11 died.
The meaning of this was miscontrued and after days of pondering, Gandhi decided to call off the campaign.
TO WHAT EXTENT DID CONGRESS CONSOLIDATE ITS POSITION BETWEEN 1922 AND 1930?
Membership: Rose from 100,000 to 2milion by 1921. This transformation shifted the perception congress from being a pressure group to a strong organisation in defiance to the Raj.
Geographical mobility: Congress set up different working posts across the subcontinent which allowed different people to be involved that had been previously neglected.
Branches: There were 3 branches known as local branches and provincial commitees and the All india congress commitee which was needed to shift a different focus. AICC - grew from 160seats to 350 seats.
Gandhi - upon his release from prison, he set up the Congress working commitee which was to regulate policy - it was a cabinet
1924- all india spinners association which focussed primarily on hand weaving to create self sufficiency. - he focussed on peasant needs as he began to form a campaign for literacy and sanitation.
Significance of Gandhi’s imprisonment
- Congress decided to pursue more attention to peasant needa and they received the representation that they were looking for
- under the leadership of nehru and das, the congress was allowed for elections
- Raj was able to restore balance.
The Young Hooligans
- radical
- wanted immediate independence - not working with raj
- J.nehru - son of m.nehru - bose and naryan
The Nehru report 1928
-M.Nehru created a document which entailed that going forward, India would welcome itself into dominion status whereby they would be granted self autonomy however they would remain within the British Empire- britain would be its mother country.
-This was the first draft on behalf of India for their workable consitution.
Congress and princely states to be joined together in federation
BAD-
muslims would lose their seats after 10 years - no representation.
THE SALT SATYAGRAHA
- Opposing the raj’s tax on salt, it was an important commodity for the Indians, used in everyday life. It cost around 3 annas and it only brought around 3% of the annual revenue however it was wrong to tax, esp for the poor.
- Gandhi began a salt march in 1931 with 78 chosen members to walk 240miles the march resembled one of a pilgrimage, however it soon attracted a lot of attention
- on the first day 10,000 joined which eventually increased t 75,000
- spin cotton thread and pray
- when Gandhi got to his destination, he picked up salt and made a statement saying this was tax free salt, urging others to do the same.
- publicity ytoo
Lahore congress 1929 - declaration of Purna swaraj.
Gandhi understood that the congress was divided in terms of what to do as there was a divide between factions. Gandhi understood that by going with the radical perspective, it would be hard to form any kind of reapproachment with the Raj however the Moderates would be limiting chances of independence by pushing for DS.
The YH were gaining a lot of attention in India, they had support in districts and trade unions, students in india seemed to support them too (the youngers were the future init)
decision: Gandhi decided to go with the radicals hence the non-cooperation campaign 2 entailed.
he declared purna swaraj which was him fighting for complete independence.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ROUND 2
-Diff to the first one, it was not directed centrally like the first rather the provincial committees were allowed to do their own satyagrahas
-the focus was on the salt satyagraha to boycott foreign salt and this gave provinces greater autonomy too
-did it work?
bombay was in the hands of the mob hence they were no go areas.– women involved 360 in jail
Bengal focussed on the salt satyagraha – there was unity and division in tasks which confused the raj as to how to control
however by 1931 - there were 60,000 in jail and the raj restored order
martial law implemented by irwin
gandhi and all the members of congress were then also jailed.
HOW FAR DID THE MUSLIM LEAGUE BECOME REVITALISED? THE KHILAFAT MOVEMENT
-Muslims regarded the sultan of turkey as their caliph - spiritual leader.
-Indian muslims were told to fight against the Turks in ww1 which they felt as betrayal.
-After the loss, The treaty of sevres shrunk the size of turkey and they also lost some of their army
- due to this, muslims began a widespread organisation campaign in order to gain some support - they spread phamplets.
-Gandhi recognised the efforts that muslims had done in cd1 hence he endorsed the campaign
-jinnah viewed him as oppurtunistic
this threatened the view for a sep represenattion
-jinnah resigned
-turkey became secular too
- uncomfy with gandhi’s leadership
Reemergence of muslim values
-Muslims had to strengthen themselves esp because hindus were beginning to regret the sep electorates.
-in 1921 - 10.9% of muslims in cong and this decreased to 3.6%.
1920 - two muslims movements that to rejuvenate the mulsim values
tanzeem and tabligh movements
- these were to spread the muslim values, prayers and etc
each town was to have a anjuman e tabligh ul islam which was to spread the message ab islam and preach things
furthermore it focussed on the economic plight of muslims where they felt constrained.
view for the pakistan
breakdown of rela with congress;
Jinnah hated the sep electorates before however he soon grew warmer to the idea of it as he saw that any type of reapproachment to join congress was in vain
-he approached congress with an approach that said no sep electorates if they were to guarantee 1/3 of legislative seats to muslims league + sep of sindh from bombay to make it a muslim province
they rejected
concept of sep in terms of festivals
- muslim prayer used to sometimes be outloud and it was respectful to not play any music where some did this, others didnt which resulted in conflict
- holi - loud and very extensive - often conflict
- bari eid - cows slaughtered - these were precious to hindus
