Growth of Nationalism

What is Nationalism?

Nationalism refers to the feeling of oneness and common consciousness that emerges when people living in a common territory share the same historical, cultural, and political background and have the same cultural values and consider themselves one nation.

Factor: Economic exploitation

1. Peasants: A large portion of their produce was taken in the form of land revenue or other taxes, causing them to fall into the clutches of moneylenders and landowners

2. Artisans and Craftsmen: India had become a source of raw materials for the British and a marketplace for finished products. This caused them to lose their livelihood

3. Working class: The factory owners, who were generally Englishmen, exploited the working class

4. Educated Indians: The only job opportunities for educated Indians was in the government where competition was high and the chances of promotion were bleak

Factor: Repressive Colonial Policies

1. The Delhi Darbar was held to proclaim Queen Victoria as the empress of India. Lakhs of rupees were spent on the event, but none to help the Indians who were in the grip of a famine

2. Vernacular Press Act 1878: This forbade the vernacular press from publishing any material that could incite feelings of dissatisfaction against British rule

   Arms Act 1878: This made it a criminal offence for Indians to carry arms without a license

3. Import duties were removed from cotton. The Indian textile industry took a hit

4. The maximum age to take the Indian Civil Service exam from 21 to 19. The exams were held in London, which made it difficult for some Indians to take the exam

5. The Ilbert Bill: This provided for the trial of British or European people by Indians. The British resented this bill, and they started a Defense Association. The bill was eventually withdrawn

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Beliefs: Unity of all religions, Monotheism, against worship of idols and meaningless religious rituals

Associations: Atmiya Sabha, Bhramo Samaj

Social reforms: Started a campaign for the abolition of sati and purdah. William Bentinck GG made a law that made these practices illegal
Discouraged child marriages and advocated for widows’ rights to remarry

Publications: Gift to Monotheists (book Persian), Samwad Kuamudi (newspaper Bengali), Mirat-ul-Akhbar (Persian)

Jyotiba Phule

Contribution: Started the first girls’ school in Pune

Opened more schools for girls and a school for the untouchables

Publications: Gulamgiri (a book explaining hardships of life of the lower caste)

Association: Stya Shudhak Samaj

Effects of socio religious reformers

1. Swami Dayanand and Swami Vivekanda proclaimed the superiority of Indian culture and civilization

2. Condemned untouchability and the cast system

3. Protested against the British domination of India and coined the term swaraj

4. taught people not to neglect the importance of women

5. Created a consciousness of a new society devoid of privileges