Round Table Conference

Question 1

First RTC

Answer 1

Irwin announced British Government would convene to discuss the constitution of India
Dominion Status not on agenda
Gandhi (in prison) was informed by Irwin that the conference was to provide long term reassurance to nationalists, and ensure co-operation with the Simon Commission
INC agreed to pursue purna swaraj and so rejected offer to attend the first RTC

Question 2

First Round Table Conference Key Details

Answer 2

12th Nov 1930 convened in House of Lords
89 representatives convened: 16 British, 16 provincial princes and 57 nominees of the Viceroy to British India
Viceroy nominees= Sikh’s, Muslims, Indian Christians and Untouchables
More focus on Untouchable rights and minority rights instead of INC majority so not needed

Question 3

Second Round Table Conference

Answer 3

August 1931 Labor Government fell to economic depression
Ramsay McDonald dominated by Conservatives, Sir Samuel Hoare appointed Secretary of State for India and chaired conference
Gandhi claimed to speak for all India and questioned fellow Indians to why at table at all
Hated the representative of Untouchables claiming should not be considered as separate electorates
Nobody could agree to Gandhi’s terms

Question 4

Gandhi prior to RTC in Britain

Answer 4

Visited various places in Britain of interest to him, West Sussex etc and preached his message
Made a point of keeping Indian culture whilst in Britain, met Christian leaders

Question 5

Third Round Table Conference

Answer 5

Held November to December 1932
Doomed from start, 46 delegates attended none from British Labor Party or INC
Discussions involved franchise (right to vote) economic considerations and the role of Princely States
No definite conclusions reached and Conference collapsed.

Question 6

Reasons for RTC failure

Answer 6

Nehru and Gandhi did not attend first RTC and were in jail
No other INC representatives attended- they refused
Second RTC nothing agreed on mostly because of disagreements of separate electorates
Gandhi alienated other Indian groups because he saw himself the only spokesman
Britian economic depression so third conference lost support of Labor Party