Indian National Movement

Significance of Indian National Movement

• One of the largest mass movements in modern history
• Successfully brought down colonial empire and replaced existing political and social structure
• Gandhian political strategy relevant to societies with rule of law and democratic polity
• Created a wide movement with diverse political currents while maintaining overall ideological and political hegemony
• Effectively used existing constitutional space with non-constitutional struggle
• Legacy had a decisive impact on post-independence development and belongs to all Indian people.

The outstanding features of the freedom struggle in India

• The freedom struggle was based on modern ideals and democratic values, promoting a democratic, civil libertarian and secular India.
• The nationalists fought for the introduction of a representative government and adult franchise.
• The movement advocated for civil liberties and freedom of expression, with the Congress ministries extending civil liberties from 1937-39.
• Economic development was a crucial part of the movement, promoting industrialization, independence from foreign capital and a reliance on the indigenous capital goods sector, as well as a commitment to economic planning.
• The movement was pro-poor and increasingly moved towards a programme of radical agrarian reform, with debates around adopting socialism.
• The leadership of the movement was committed to secularism and opposed communalism, enshrining secularism in the Constitution of free India.
• The movement had a broad international outlook, with a policy of opposition to imperialism and solidarity with anti-colonial movements in other parts of the world.

Imperialist approach to Indian history

 The imperialist approach to Indian history is different from the left-wing perspective that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s.

 Conservative colonial administrators and imperialist historians deny that colonialism was an economic, political, social, and cultural structure in India and see it primarily as foreign rule.

 The imperialist approach denies the existence of the basic contradiction between the interests of the Indian people and British colonialism and the role this contradiction played in the rise of the national movement.

 Imperialist writers deny that India was in the process of becoming a nation and instead believe that it consisted of religions, castes, communities, and interests.

 The national movement is seen as a product of the needs and interests of the elite groups who used it to serve either their own narrow interests or the interests of their prescriptive groups.

 Nationalism is seen primarily as a mere ideology which these elite groups used to legitimize their narrow ambitions and to mobilize public support.

 Some historians view the Indian national movement as a struggle among different elite groups for power, and not as a movement for the overthrow of imperialism.

 This view denies the existence of colonial exploitation and underdevelopment, and the idealism of those who sacrificed their lives for the anti-imperialist cause.

 This view also denies any active role to the mass of workers, peasants, lower-middle class, and women in the anti-imperialist struggle, treating them as "dumb creatures" with no perception of their needs and interests.

Subaltern approach to Indian history

 The subaltern approach dismisses all previous historical writing as elite historiography and claims to replace it with a new people's or subaltern approach.

 According to this approach, the basic contradiction in Indian society in the colonial era was between the elite and the subaltern groups, not between colonialism and the Indian people.

 The subaltern approach characterizes the national movement as a bogus movement of the elite and a real anti-imperialist movement of the subalterns.

 The subaltern approach glorifies popular militancy and consciousness and contempt for the intelligentsia and organized party leadership.

 The subaltern approach denies the legitimacy of the actual anti-colonial struggle that the Indian people waged and its 'new' writing continues to be based on the same old 'elite' sources.

Nationalist historiography approach to Indian history

 Nationalist historiography is another major approach in Indian history.

 It was represented by political activists such as Lajpat Rai, A.C. Mazumdar, and Girija Mukerji in the colonial period.

 More recently, B.R. Nanda, Bisheshwar Prasad, and Amles Tripathi have made notable contributions to this approach.

 Nationalist historians acknowledge the exploitative nature of colonialism and view the national movement as a result of the spread of nationalism or liberty.

 They also recognize the process of India becoming a nation and see the national movement as a movement of the people.

 However, they tend to overlook the inner contradictions of Indian society, especially in terms of class and caste.

 Nationalist historians equate the right-wing perspective of the national movement with the movement as a whole.

 Their treatment of the strategic and ideological aspects of the movement is also insufficient.

Marxist historiography on the Indian national movement

 Marxist historians analyze the Indian national movement with a focus on class struggle.

 They tend to view the movement as a structured bourgeois movement and equate the national leadership with the capitalist class.

 Some suggest that financial resources determined the ability to influence nationalist politics.

 Many Marxist writers do not investigate the strategy, program, ideology, and extent of mass mobilization in the national movement.

The author's approach to studying the Indian national movement

Indian National Movement and Anti-Colonial Ideology

 Indian national leaders recognized contradiction between Indian and British interests

 Scientific analysis and economic critique of colonialism developed

 Movement promoted anti-colonial ideology and disseminated critique of colonialism

 Played pivotal role in nation-building and forming national identity

 National identity derived strength from diverse regional, linguistic, and ethnic identities

 Pre-nationalist resistance failed to understand colonialism and nation-in-the-making

 Intellectuals played significant role in promoting political and anti-colonial consciousness

The strategy of struggle in the Indian national movement.

 The Indian national movement had a specific strategy of struggle, integrated after 1918.

 The strategy aimed to destroy the belief system of colonial hegemony and secure the hearts and minds of the Indian people.

 The two basic constituents of colonial hegemony were the belief that British rule was Benevolent and Invincible.

 Strategy aimed to instil fearlessness in people to counter British rule

 Leadership involved exercise of moral and ideological influence, not domination

 Nationalist movement aimed for political independence with social and economic goals

 Socialist ideas gained prominence, leading to emergence of powerful left-wing parties

 Nationalist strategy alternated between massive mass struggle and intense political work within legal framework

 Constructive work, such as promoting khadi and Hindu-Muslim unity, formed an important part of strategy

 Participation in colonial constitutional structure without getting co-opted was also part of strategy

 Non-violence was essential part of mass movement mobilizing people to widest possible extent

 The peaceful and negotiated transfer of power in 1947 was the result of the character and strategy of the Indian national movement, the culmination of a war of position.

 Negotiations and agreements between the rulers and the nationalist leadership, and the retreat and compromise of the movement in different phases, have to be evaluated differently from some previous analyses.

Unity and Diversity in the Indian National Movement

 Indian National Congress included diverse political perspectives

 Despite diversity, the movement remained united and learned from past mistakes

 Other movements, including peasant, tribal, Left, and Indian National Army, contributed to the anti-imperialist struggle.

 These movements were an integral part of the national movement, not separate from Congress.

 Communal and casteist movements were not nationalist or anti-imperialist

Characteristics of the Indian National Movement

 Mass movement based on militant and self-sacrificing spirit

 Relied on Satyagraha and active participation of people

 Mobilized millions of people from diverse social groups

 Fought for modern political and social emancipation

 Integrated with other liberationist movements, but partially failed to counter communalism and undertake cultural revolution

 Recognized capacity and limits of Indian people to make sacrifices

 Involved a diverse range of people who participated in many ways

 Expression of Indian creativity and innovation Included many sacrifices and martyrs.