Topic 3: Consultation and Confrontation Flashcards
1930-42
When was the first RTC
12 November 1930 until January
Who attended the first RTC
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, representative for the Untouchables
16 representatives from the three main British political parties
Provincial Princes
Unionist Party
57 people the Viceroy nominated to attend
Jinnah
Indian Liberal Party
King George V
89 representatives
What was the state of the British government during the 1st RTC
Labour: Ramsay MacDonald
Committed to progressing India (not Dominion status)
Lord Irwin as Viceroy
William Wedgewood-Benn as SoS
What was happening in India during the 1st RTC
Gandhi’s salt satyagraha: undermined negotiations
Gandhi was in prison
Why were the INC not in attendance at the first RTC
Had rejected the offer to attend after declaring purna swaraj at the June 1929 Lahore congress
What was the plan for the RTC
To provide long-term reassurance to nationalists and co-operate with the Simon Commission
For India to be democratic and accountable to itself
For the Princely states to be federally linked as one nation
What was decided at the 1st RTC
Princely states agreed to join the British Union, which would strengthen the Raj and British control over India
Separate electorate for Untouchables and religious minorities (Communal Award 1930)
How successful was the 1st RTC
Generally cooperative between all parties as they had a similar goal
Not fully successful as the INC, affiliated with 80% of the population were not in attendance
Did not clear up the plan for the future
When was the 2nd RTC
7 September 1931
What was the situation of the British government during the 2nd RTC
Viceroy changed from Irwin to Willingdon, who was repressive and strict
Sir Samuel Hoare as SoS, a Conservative imperialist
Great Depression forced MacDonald to accept a coalition government
Economic struggles made India a crucial asset for Britian
Who attended the second RTC
Sir Samuel Hoare chaired
Gandhi as the sole INC representative, despite not being the leader of the INC at the time
Iqbal, the Aga Khan and Jinnah for the ML
Gandhi during the 2nd RTC
Claimed to speak for all of India, questioning the need for the other representatives
Angry about the outcome of the first RTC, especially since his Back to Basics campaign in which he sought to bridge the gap with the Untouchables
Outcome of the 2nd RTC
Showed to the SoS that there would be clashes in leadership as not only did the INC and the ML disagree, the Hindus disagreed among themselves
Gandhi and Jinnah clashed on the 14 points, representation and the movements in the ’20s
How successful was the 2nd RTC
No next steps planned
Communal Award announced
What did Gandhi do in Britain
Visited working class cities (East London and Lancashire) to justify the nationalist cause and advocate for the Labour party
Visited C.P Scott <333, editor of the Manchester Guardian
What happened upon Gandhi’s return to India
Immediately imprisoned by Willingdon, among Nehru, the CWC and other INC members
Placed in the Yeravda prison in Poona
Enacted ‘Emergency Powers’, similar to the Rowlatt Acts and the DOIA
When was the Gandhi Irwin Pact
Agreed March 1931
First approached Gandhi in July 1930, but he didn’t meet Irwin until February 1931
What was the Gandhi Irwin pact
Irwin’s move after realising the futility of holding RTCs without the INC
Agreed to release him from prison, as well as 19,000 members of the INC if he attended the 2nd Conference
Fellow Indians, especially businessmen, encouraged Gandhi to take the pact
Gandhi’s response to the Communal Award
Fast unto death
Declared the separate electorate a betrayal to his cause
Wrote to Hoare, who refused to change the legislation
Pressured Ambedkar to negotiate
Willingdon was prepared to let him die, though he was planning to release him so he wouldn’t die in prison
Poona Pact
Increased the no. of seats to be awarded to the Untouchables from 71 to 148, as well as guaranteeing at least 18% of the seats in future elections if they won the votes
Abandoned the separate electorate for the Untouchables
Ambedkar proposed a revisal clause, in which this could be changed if the Untouchables felt under-represented, though Gandhi did not budge
Set aside funding for the Untouchables
Communal Award
August 1932
Recognised Sikhs, Christian, Anglo Indians and Untouchables as separate classes, creating separate electorates for them
British response to the Poona Pact
Made necessary amendments to the Communal Award
Still unhappy about the divisions within India
What did Churchill refer to Gandhi as in response to seeing him ascend the steps to the Viceroy’s palace for the Gandhi-Irwin pact
A half-naked fakir
British Press on India
The Daily Mail- emphasised India’s importance to the British economy
Published fake photos of Indian violence, deeming them unfit to govern and in need of British control
Labelled Gandhi and the INC as insignificant and semi-educated
When was the 3rd RTC
November to December 1932
Who attended the 3rd RTC
No Labour and no INC
Only 46 delegates
What was the purpose of the 3rd RTC
The role of the Princely states and their taxation
Franchise
How successful was the 3rd RTC
Collapsed in confusion
No definite conclusions
Context of the GOIA 1935
Failure of the RTCs to find a compromise for a constitution
Simon Commission’s failure to renew the 1919 GOIA
1931: Statute of Westminster, passed by Labour which gave white members of the empire Dominion status
IDL vs progressive Labour MPs
Desire to appease Indian nationalists, as Britain could not afford another satyagraha
Coalition government
Who were the main contributors to the 1935 GOIA
Hoare- SoS
Wedgewood-Benn- former SoS, MP
Baldwin- PM
Attlee
Churchill
Linlithgow
Baldwin’s goals with the 1935 GOIA
Gain support of moderate nationalists, after accepting he couldn’t satisfy the demands of the extremists (purna swaraj)
Retain control over Foreign Affairs, Defense and Finance
Less non-cooperation
Foster a positive relationship with the ML (granting much of Jinnah’s 14 points)
Persuade the Princely states to join an All-Indian Federation
Limit the overall power of Congress, never allowing them to govern alone or bring down government)
Satisfy the differing opinions in Parliament
Baldwin passed the act despite the imperialist opposition (Churchill and the IDL) and the progressive opposition (Attlee and other Labour MPs)
Terms of the 1935 GOIA
Ending diarchy established by the 1919 GOIA by granting autonomy to the provinces
Split India into 11 provinces
Establishment of a federation, still having the Viceroy and the SoS at the highest ranking
Introducing direct elections
- Increased franchise from 5m to 35m
Partial reorganisation of the provinces
Created separate states of Sindh and Orissa
Separated Burma completely
Established a Federal Court
Hoare’s statement on the GOIA
Indian nationalists can either accept this or no legislative power at all
No one has practical alternatives
Negatives of the 1935 GOIA
Viceroy still held significant reserve powers (Foreign affairs, Finance and Defense)
Could overrule provincial decisions
Still held paternalistic threat
No guarantee of Muslim victories in elections outside of the separate states due to population
When was the 1935 GOIA passed
July
Significance of Burma
Was a necessary line of defense for India against Japan during WW2
Significance of Sindh and Orissa
Showed the capacity for separate states
Part of Jinnah’s 14 points
When did Jinnah return to India
August 1935, after the GOIA passes
Jinnah’s response to the 1935 GOIA
Feared the provincial elections would favour the INC despite the many concessions relating to his 14 points
Sceptical of the act
INC’s response to the Act
INC’s commitment to purna swaraj
‘Charter of Slavery’
‘Machine with strong brakes and no engine’
Why was the nationalist opposition to the act irrelevant to some extent
Both major parties stood in the 1937 provincial elections as they risked political power if they didn’t
Result of Princely states
Ultimately refused to join the federation after Linlithgow received weak backing from the Home government
When did Linlithgow declare India to be at war with Germany
3rd September 1939
Why was the inclusion of India in WW2 so controversial
Was constitutionally correct (Foreign Affairs and Defense)
Did not consult the elected officials
The Raj was experiencing a period of stability until this, shown by a boom in ICS recruitment
1937 Provincial elections
INC won in 8 of the 11 provinces, with considerable seats in the remaining 3
ML failed to win a majority in any, struggling to gain support
Why did the ML struggle in the 1937 Provincial Elections
Lack of overall goal
Decline of the party in the early 30s
Response to the declaration of war
Gandhi: urged a negotiation, though some knew this would be futile. Refused to enlist and resigned from office, leaving the British in power
ML: cooperated and went to war. Mass INC resignation allowed the ML to exert more influence
Jinnah focused on forming the ML’s constitutional objectives
When did the INC declare they would not support the war
14 September 1939
Day of Deliverance
22 December 1929
By this date, all INC ministers had left their positions
Jinnah called for all Indian Muslims to celebrate their freedom from Hindu dominance
What was the purpose of the Lahore resolution
To propose separate Muslim states
Ensure the protection of minorities regardless of religious domination
Pakistan Resolution day
23 March 1940
The key idea was now for separate independent states, paving the way for East and West Pakistan
When was the coalition formed in Britain
24th August 1931
25th August: Hoare becomes SoS
When was the IDL formed
June 1933
Significance of the ICS in 1937-1939 (until WW2)
Boost in recruitment, which was significant as they had previously been boycotting it
What did Jinnah do after losing the 1937 elections
Attempted a final rapprochement with the INC, failing to show that they don’t have the Muslims’ best interests at heart
When does Churchill become PM
10th May 1940
Meant that freedom discussions would be pointless
Lahore Resolution/Pakistan resolution day
23rd March 1940, just several months after the INC left their positions
Announced to 100,000 Muslims that their destiny was a separate independent state
August Offer
7 August 1940
Linlithgow tells Jinnah that the formation of any future constitution would consult him
Jinnah declines this because he planned for a separate state anyway
Atlantic Charter
14 August 1941
Stated that nations deprived of self governance would have it restored to them
Only signed to gain America’s support in the war
