Mahatma Gandhi and Indian Independence

Terms and Concepts

• Nonviolence: Using peaceful means, not force, to bring about political or social change.

• Civil Disobedience: Refusal to follow certain laws or pay taxes and fines to protest a government’s actions and policies.

• Mahatma: "Great soul;" a person regarded with loving respect; a holy person or sage.

• Nationhood: The status of belonging to a nation-state or to a national identity.

Lesson Objectives

• Define and use the concepts/terms: civil disobedience, Mahatma, non-violence and nationhood.

• Locate India on a map to show its position in relation to the rest of the world.

• Summarize the political, social, and economic situation in the early 1900s in India.

• Explain the impact of World War I and the Amritsar Massacre on Indian nationalism.

• Explain the philosophies of Gandhi.

• Discuss Gandhi’s response to British economic domination in India.

• Discuss the effects of the Partition of India on the people of India and Pakistan.

• Evaluate the contribution of Gandhi to his nation and the world.

• Value the contribution of this liberator to nation-building.

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British Imperialism in India

• British economic interest in India began in the 1600s with the British East India Company setting up trading posts.

• Initially, the Mughal Dynasty controlled European traders.

• By 1707, the Mughal Empire collapsed, leading to dozens of small states.

• In 1757, Robert Clive led East India Company troops to victory at the Battle of Plassey.

• From 1757 to 1858, the East India Company was the leading power in India.

British Expansion and Control

• Great Britain took complete authority over India.

• Indians were treated as second-class citizens with inequality under British laws.

• Discrimination and unjust treatment were prevalent in British society.

• The best jobs and schools were reserved for the British.

• Indians were heavily taxed on goods found in their own country.

The 1857 Rebellion/Sepoy Mutiny

• By 1857, the East India Company controlled the government, economy, and education system of India.

• The sepoys rebelled due to a rumor about new rifle cartridges greased with pigs’ and cows’ fat, which was offensive to both Muslims and Hindus.

• In March 1857, Mangal Pandey attacked his British officer and was executed.

• The rebellion spread, and tens of thousands of sepoys turned on their officers.

• The British defeated the rebellion after 18 months of fighting.

• In August 1858, the Government of India Act was passed, beginning direct British rule of India.

• Thousands of British and hundreds of thousands of Indians died during the rebellion.

Significance of the 1857 Rebellion

• It marked the beginning of direct British government rule over India.

• The part of India under direct British rule was called the Raj, from 1757 to 1947.

• The East India Company was no longer in control.

Nationalism in India

• In the 1800s, nationalism began to emerge in India.

• Indians were barred from top posts in the Indian Civil Service and were paid less than Europeans.

• Upper-class Indians educated in British schools adopted European views of nationalism and democracy.

• The Indian National Congress (1885) and the Muslim League (1906) were formed.

• These groups initially focused on specific concerns but later called for self-government.

• Despite divisions, Hindus and Muslims shared the heritage of British rule and democratic ideals.

Between the Wars

• In 1918, Gandhi proposed satyagraha (non-violence, mass civil disobedience) in Champaran, Bihar, where landless serfs were forced to grow indigo and other cash crops.

• Gandhi was arrested for creating unrest, but hundreds of thousands protested, leading to his release.

World War I and Nationalist Activity

• Over a million Indians enlisted in the British army during World War I, expecting reforms leading to self-government.

• After the war, Indians were again treated as second-class citizens.

• Radical nationalists committed acts of violence.

• The British passed the Rowlatt Acts in 1919, allowing the government to jail protesters without trial for up to two years.

Amritsar Massacre

• In 1919, around 10,000 Hindus and Muslims gathered in Amritsar to protest the Rowlatt Acts.

• The British viewed the demonstration as a nationalist outburst.

• The massacre set the stage for Gandhi’s emergence as the leader of the independence movement.

From Cooperation to Resistance

• Gandhi, initially supportive of the British war effort, was disturbed by the Amritsar Massacre.

• He shifted towards advocating complete independence (Swaraj).

• Gandhi began promoting Satyagraha, including civil disobedience, strikes, and boycotts.

• The Amritsar Massacre united Indians against British rule.

Major Gandhian Ideologies

• Truth and Nonviolence: God is the ultimate truth, and nonviolence is related to love.

• Satyagraha: Securing rights by personal suffering without inflicting injury on others.

• Sarvodaya: 'Universal Uplift' or 'Progress of All.'

• Swaraj: Self-rule, self-restraint, equated with moksha or salvation.

• Trusteeship: Law of non-possession, converting privileged classes into trustees for equitable distribution of wealth.

• Swadeshi: Acting within and from one's own community, politically and economically.

Philosophies of Gandhi

• Satyagraha (Truth Force): Non-violent resistance to achieve political and social change through civil disobedience, strikes, boycotts, and peaceful protests.

• Swaraj (Self-Rule): Complete independence for India with self-sufficiency and governance by its own people.

• Ahimsa (Non-Violence): Non-violence in thought, word, and deed to expose the brutality of the British Raj.

• Sarvodaya (Welfare of All): Emphasizing the well-being of all members of society and fighting against social evils.

• Simple Living: Shunning material possessions and focusing on self-reliance.

Achievements of Mahatma Gandhi

• Champaran Satyagraha (1917): Opposed local peasants against British proprietors who forced them to grow indigo.

• Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Advocated for tax relief for peasantry struck by flash floods and starvation.

Gandhi’s Tactics of Nonviolence

• Noncooperation: Urged the Indian National Congress to follow a policy of non-cooperation after the British failed to punish officers responsible for the Amritsar massacre.

• Boycott: Called on Indians to refuse to buy British goods, attend government schools, pay British taxes, or vote in elections. Successfully boycotted British cloth.

• Strikes and Demonstrations: In 1922, the British arrested Gandhi for advocating resistance. He used his trial to indict the British Empire.

• The Salt March/Dandi March (1930): Organized a demonstration against the Salt Acts, marching 240 miles to the seacoast to make salt.

Britain Grants Limited Self-Rule

• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931, marking the end of civil disobedience.

• The Government of India Act (1935) provided local self-government and limited democratic elections.

Movement Toward Independence

• Indian resistance intensified in 1939 when Britain committed India’s armed forces to World War II without consulting elected representatives.

• Gandhi launched a nonviolent campaign of noncooperation (the Quit India Movement).

• In 1942, the British promised governmental changes after the war but did not include Indian independence.

Independence and Partition

• After World War II, Britain began to rethink maintaining distant colonies.

• Distrust between Hindus and Muslims led to violence, with Muslims demanding a separate nation (Pakistan).

• In May 1947, British, Muslim, and Hindu leaders agreed to create a Hindu-dominated India and a Muslim Pakistan.

• Independence Day (August 15, 1947) was marked by looting, rape, and murder, with millions fleeing their homes.

Effects of the Partition of India

• Mass Migration and Displacement: Over 10 to 15 million people were displaced.

• Communal Violence and Loss of Life: Up to 2 million people may have died due to violence.

• Cultural and Emotional Trauma: Deep mistrust and sorrow were created.

• Economic Hardship: Displacement caused loss of livelihood, property, and businesses.

• Political Tensions and Military Conflict: Partition laid the foundation for long-standing hostility between India and Pakistan.

• Creation of New National Identities: India emerged as a secular republic, while Pakistan was established as a homeland for Muslims.

Assassination of Gandhi

• In January 1948, Gandhi fasted until Hindu and Muslim leaders pledged peace.

• On January 30, 1948, he was assassinated by a Hindu who believed Gandhi had sold out to the Muslims.

Gandhi's Transformation of the National Movement

• Mass movements: Extended the scope of national movement from elitist groups and individual heroes to masses

• Participation of women: Mahatma Gandhi was the first man to encourage participation of women in politics

• Social reforms: Gandhiji supported the Varna system without hierarchical occupation and was against the caste system including the practice of untouchability, purdah practice and child marriage.

• New methods of struggle: Satyagraha experiment (passive resistance and civil disobedience), non-violence and non-cooperation formed the basis of the national movement post World War I.

• Hindu-Muslim Unity: He believed that religion does not teach hatred. From Non Cooperation Khilafat Movement till the eve of independence, Gandhiji stood firmly for Hindu-Muslim unity.

• All India character: Gandhiji provided a national vision to the struggle.

• Idea of Swadeshi: Khadi was a means of uniting the Indians, of acquiring economic freedom and equality.

Contributions of Gandhi

• Helped India gain independence through nonviolent approaches.

• Changed the face of civil disobedience globally, inspiring figures like Martin Luther King, Jr.