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History Project
GROWTH OF NATIONALISM
1. Rise of Nationalism:
Indian Nationalism’s Rise in India, 1885–1905: British rule
over India has been in place for a very long period. They
subjected Indians to various forms of torture and also stole
their possessions and riches for their own purposes. Despite
their poor living conditions, the Indians were not tolerant and
frequently battled for their freedom. Before 1885, every battle
or uprising they organised ended in failure, if not in totality. By
1900, Indians’ feeling of nationalism was thriving, and they
banded together to defend their rights. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
and Surendra Nath Banarjee are regarded as the founders of
nationalism.Only in the latter half of the 19th century did
India’s national consciousness begin to grow. Before it, there
had been conflicts and battles against British colonialism, but
they were all confined to local regions and, in any event, did not
cover all of India. In fact, some academics at the time did not
even believe India to be a country. Political union had existed in
the past, but it was not a lasting phenomenon. Nevertheless,
despite being ruled by numerous kings, there was always a
sense of cultural unity, and foreign countries always referred to
the subcontinent as India or Hind as being one entity.
2.Reasons for the emergence of
Nationalism in India
1. Political, Economic and Administrative Unification: Nationalist
opinions fatten easily among the people because India was
amalgamated and blended into a nation during the 19th and 20th
centuries. The commencement of an unvaried system of government by
the British throughout the country unified it administratively. The
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demolition of the rustic economy and the commencement of modern
trade and industries on an all- India scale had progressively made
India’s economic life interlinked with the economic fate of people living
in various areas of the country.
2. Impact of Western Education : Due to the extension of the latest
western education during the 19th century, a large number of Indians
needed a modern, secular, democratic and nationalist political
perspective. The extension and fame of the English language aided
freedom fighters of different linguistic regions to interact with each
other. Modern education also created a certain consistency and section
of perspective and interests among the educated Indians. This
English-educated intelligentsia formed the core for the newly-arising
political disruption, and it was this group of the society that yielded the
leadership to the Indian political guild.
3. Development of Means of Transport: The British formed a lattice of
roads, railways, post and telegraph systems in the nation. This piloted
the escalation of movements of people from one part of the country to
another and mounted the circulation of particulars. All this expedited the
emergence of a national movement in India.
4. Socio-religious Reform Movements: These reform movements
quested to remove social iniquity which split the Indian society. This had
the impact of bringing different groups of society together. Since many
reform movements withdrew their motivation from India’s rich cultural
heritage, these boosted pan-Indian emotions and sparked nationalism.
5. Development of Media, Newspaper and Magazines: With the
emergence of the modern press, both English and Vernacular, the latter
half of the 19th century sighted an unmatched enlargement of
Indian-owned English and Vernacular newspapers. The Indian Press
played a memorable role in rallying public judgement, collocating
political movements, fighting out public judgements and fostering
nationalism.
6. Britishers’ Exploited Policies: A relevant aspect in the expansion of
national feelings in India was the tone of racial ascendancy embraced by
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many Englishmen in their doings with Indians. The exploited policies of
the British government were also superintendent for the expansion of
political unions.
7. National Movements Outside India: There were many national
movements outside the country that galvanised the Indian nationalists
like the Russian Revolution, the French Revolution, the American War of
Independence.
3. Lord Lytton:Lord Lytton was an English statesman, Conservative
politician and poet. Lord Lytton organised a Grand Delhi Durbar in 1877
proclaming Queen Victoria as Empress of India,a huge amount of money
was spent on the event but nothing was done for Indians who were in
the grip of a famine.The Vernacular Press Act 1878 introduced by Lord
Lytton was enacted in British India to limit the freedom of the Indian
press and prevent the expression of criticism toward British policies,
particularly the opposition that had grown since the start of the Second
Anglo-Afghan War . Lytton also introduced the Indian arms Act 1878,
according to this act a criminal offence for Indians to carry arms without
licence but this Act was not applicable to the British, this was unfair to
Indians.The maximum age for appearing in the Indian Civil Service was
reduced from 21 to 19 by Lytton.He also removed import duties on the
cotton textiles for the benefit of the British cloth industry at the cost of
Indian textile industry. Lytton was a thinker and an administrator, but as a
ruler of India, he was a failure. He was mainly concerned with the Empire’s
security and had little regard for the interests and opinions of the people he
governed. The people were dissatisfied with Lytton’s unpopular and
oppressive policies.
4.Raja Rammohan Roy’s Contribution:Raja Ram Mohan Roy the founder
of the Brahmo Samaj and one of the first Indian socio-religious reform
movements, he was a great scholar and an independent thinker. He was a
religious and social reformer and is known as the ‘Father of Modern India’ and
for his contributions towards the growth of nationalism.Influenced by Western
modern thought Ram Mohan Roy stressed rationalism and the modern
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scientific approach.He believed that religious orthodoxies instead of tending
to the amelioration of the condition of society have become causes of injury, a
source of trouble and detrimental to social life and bewilderment to the
people.He believed that sacrifices and rituals cannot restitute the sins of
people; it can be done through self-purification and repentance. He also
believed that religious reform is both social reform and political
modernization.His immediate problem was the degeneration of the religious
and social conditions of his native Bengal.He was a strong opponent of the
caste system and believed in the social equality of all human beings.
The following are the contributions made by him:
● He condemned the oppressive practices of Bengali zamindars.
● He demanded the fixation of minimum rents.
● He called for a reduction of export duties on Indian goods abroad and demanded
the abolition of taxes on tax-free lands.
● He raised his voice for the abolition of the East India Company’s trading rights
● he spoke against the unjust policies of the British government especially the
restrictions on press freedom. Through his writings and activities, he supported
the movement for a free press in India
● He demanded equality between Indians and Europeans.
● He fought against the perceived ills of Hindu society at that time.
5.Jyotiba Phule:
Jyotirao Govindrao Phule 1827 – 1890 was an Indian social activist,
businessman, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra. His
work extended to many fields, including eradication of untouchability and the
caste system and for his efforts in educating women and oppressed caste
people.He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of women's education
in India.They were engaged in a passionate struggle to build a movement for
equality between men and women and for social justice. Recognising that
knowledge is power and that the progress of women and lower castes was
impossible without it, they dedicated their entire life to spreading education.
In this module we first discuss the contributions of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule to
the development of education in modern India. We will try to understand
Phule’s thoughts and ideas on education as an answer to the present
challenges of education in India. His wife Savitri Bai Phule had the pride of
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being the first woman teacher. Phule is regarded as an important figure in the
social reform movement in India as well as Maharashtra
Jyotiba Phule’s contribution:
- Jyotiba established a girls’ school at Bhide for untouchable girls
and asked his wife to teach the girls in the school.
- He, along with his followers, formed the Satyashodhak Samaj
(Society of Truth Seekers) to attain equal rights for people from
lower castes.
- Jyotirao Phule opened the first native library for low-caste
students.
- Jyotiba Phule had expressed his views on primary education
and primary school teachers in a statement forwarded to the
Hunter Commission.
- Jyotiba Phule was the first Indian educationist whose pragmatic
views on education were honoured by the British rulers in
India.
Formation of Indian National Congress(INC):
The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 by A.O. Hume. It was founded by 72
delegates on December 28, 1885, at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Mumbai.The Indian
Nation Union was its previous name. It was not by chance that the Indian National Congress
was founded in 1885. It was the result of a political awakening process that started in the
1860s and 1870s and came to a head in the late 1870s and early 1880s. This process
reached a turning point in 1885. Modern political thinkers who viewed themselves as
defenders of the interests of the nation rather than particular interest groups saw the results
of their labour. They created an all-India nationalist organisation that would act as a platform,
coordinator, focal point, and a representation of the new national politics.Only educated
Indians were invited to the Congress. Through the Congress, the British could gain support
for their rule in India. This was made feasible because educated Indians were more
receptive to modernization concepts and could therefore influence other Indians. General
Secretary of the Congress was Allan Octavian Hume, and President of the Congress was
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee.Creating and promoting an anti-colonial nationalist concept
and upholding a sense of national unity among all citizens, regardless of their religion, caste,
or province, were additional goals.
Session Place Date President
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Womesh Chandra
1st Session Bombay 1885
Bonnerjee
2nd Session Calcutta 1886 Shri Dadabhai Naoroji
3rd Session Madras 1887 Badruddin Tyabji
4th Session Allahabad 1888 George Yule
ROLE OF PRESS:
The press played a significant and multifaceted role in the Indian
freedom movement. The press served as a powerful tool for mobilising
public opinion, spreading awareness, and fostering a sense of unity
among the masses. Its impact was crucial in galvanising the movement
and influencing the course of events during this period. The newspapers
also helped in spreading awareness about the extreme measures taken
by the colonial government which further incited protests and
revolutionary acts against the British.
Contributions by the Indian press:
- Raising awareness and consciousness
- Shaping public opinion
- Uniting diverse communities
- Criticising colonial policies
- Providing a platform for leaders
- Promoting non-violent resistance
- Fostering nationalism
- Acted as a catalyst for change
Conclusion:
A growing anger against the Colonial Government brought together various groups
and classes of Indians into a common struggle for freedom in the first half of the
20th century. However different expectations of diverse groups pose a constant
threat to unity. The Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi tried to
channel people’s sufferings into organised and united movement for independence
