The Making of the National Movement 1870s-1947 — Class 8 History Chapter 9

How the Idea of an Indian Nation Grew

Before the 1870s, people in India identified mainly with their region, caste, or religion rather than as 'Indians'. British economic policies changed this. Heavy land revenue, destruction of local industries, and the 'drain of wealth' (India's wealth flowing to Britain through unfair trade and high salaries to British officers) hurt peasants, artisans and educated Indians alike. Racist incidents, like unequal treatment in courts (the Ilbert Bill controversy of 1883), and laws restricting Indian press and arms convinced people that all Indians, regardless of region, shared common grievances against colonial rule. Educated Indians started forming associations such as the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, Indian Association, and Madras Mahajan Sabha to discuss these issues and petition the government. These early efforts on a local scale slowly widened. When leaders from Bombay, Bengal, Madras and Punjab realised their problems were the same, they decided to form an all-India body. This shared consciousness of unity in suffering under one colonial system became the seed of Indian nationalism, eventually leading to the birth of the Indian National Congress in 1885.

Formation and Role of the Indian National Congress (1885)

The Indian National Congress was formed in December 1885 with A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, playing a key role in bringing together 72 delegates from across India for its first session in Bombay, presided over by W.C. Bonnerjee. In its early years (1885-1905), the Congress was led by Moderate leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta. They believed in constitutional methods — petitions, speeches, letters to newspapers, and sending delegations to Britain — to demand reforms such as more Indian representation in legislative councils, reduction in land revenue, and expansion of civil rights. Their goal was not full independence but gradual self-government within the British Empire. Though they achieved limited results, they successfully exposed the exploitative nature of British rule through detailed economic critiques, especially Naoroji's 'drain of wealth' theory, which prepared the ground for stronger demands later.

Key Stages of the National Movement (1870s-1947)

1. Stage 1: Rise of Political Associations (1870s-1885) — Local bodies like Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (1870), Indian Association (1876) and Madras Mahajan Sabha (1884) formed to voice grievances on taxation, famine relief and Indianisation of jobs, leading to the formation of INC in 1885.
2. Stage 2: Moderate Phase (1885-1905) — Leaders like Naoroji and Gokhale used petitions and constitutional protest. They demanded Indianisation of government service, reduction of military expenditure, and separation of judiciary from executive.
3. Stage 3: Swadeshi Movement and Extremists (1905-1918) — Bengal's Partition in 1905 by Lord Curzon triggered the Swadeshi movement — boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian industries. Extremist leaders Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lal Lajpat Rai (Lal-Bal-Pal) demanded Swaraj (self-rule) and used mass mobilisation, not just petitions.
4. Stage 4: Gandhian Mass Movements (1919-1934) — After the Rowlatt Act (1919) and Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Gandhi launched Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) asking Indians to boycott British institutions. This was followed by the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) starting with the Dandi Salt March, where Indians broke the salt law to protest British monopoly.
5. Stage 5: Towards Independence (1939-1947) — World War II drained British resources. The Quit India Movement (1942) demanded immediate British withdrawal. Post-war negotiations, the Cabinet Mission Plan, and communal tensions finally led to Independence and Partition on 15 August 1947.

Important Terms to Remember

Drain of Wealth

Dadabhai Naoroji's theory that Britain was systematically transferring India's wealth to England through unfair trade, high salaries to British officials, and home charges, keeping India poor.

Swadeshi Movement

A 1905 movement urging Indians to boycott British goods and use Indian-made (swadeshi) products, sparked by the Partition of Bengal.

Non-Cooperation Movement

A 1920-22 Gandhi-led movement asking Indians to withdraw cooperation from British government — boycotting schools, courts, foreign cloth and government jobs.

Civil Disobedience Movement

A 1930 movement started with the Dandi Salt March where Indians deliberately broke unjust British laws like the salt tax to protest colonial rule.

Quit India Movement

A 1942 mass movement demanding immediate British withdrawal from India ("Do or Die" call by Gandhi) during World War II.

Common Mistakes and Exam Tips

• Do not confuse Moderates and Extremists — Moderates believed in petitions and gradual reform, while Extremists (Lal-Bal-Pal) wanted direct mass action and full Swaraj.
• Remember exact years: INC formed 1885, Partition of Bengal 1905, Rowlatt Act & Jallianwala Bagh 1919, Civil Disobedience 1930, Quit India 1942, Independence 1947.
• Do not write 'Quit India Movement' and 'Non-Cooperation Movement' as the same event — they are separate movements a decade apart with different triggers.
• Always link cause to event: e.g., Partition of Bengal caused Swadeshi Movement; Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh caused Non-Cooperation Movement.
• Mention specific leaders correctly with their movements to score full marks in 'name the leader' type questions.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why did the Indian National Congress get formed in 1885? Explain any two reasons. A: Step 1: Educated Indians across regions realised they faced common problems like high taxes, exploitation of peasants, and lack of Indian representation in government. Step 2: Local associations (Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, Indian Association, Madras Mahajan Sabha) had already been raising these issues separately since the 1870s. Step 3: Leaders felt an all-India platform would make their demands stronger and more organised than scattered regional protests. Final answer: The INC was formed in 1885 to unite Indians on a common platform to demand political and economic reforms from the British government, combining the efforts of earlier regional associations.
• Q: What was the 'Drain of Wealth' theory given by Dadabhai Naoroji? A: Step 1: Naoroji observed that India's wealth was continuously being transferred to Britain. Step 2: This happened through high salaries and pensions paid to British officials, profits sent home by British companies, and unfair trade policies favouring Britain. Step 3: He argued this drain kept India poor despite its rich resources. Final answer: The Drain of Wealth theory explained how British economic policies systematically transferred India's wealth to England, impoverishing Indians and exposing the exploitative nature of colonial rule.
• Q: Differentiate between the Moderates and the Extremists in the Indian National Congress. A: Step 1: Moderates (1885-1905) like Gokhale and Naoroji believed in constitutional methods such as petitions, meetings, and delegations to Britain. Step 2: They wanted gradual reforms and self-government within the British Empire, not immediate independence. Step 3: Extremists (from 1905) like Tilak, Pal and Lajpat Rai wanted Swaraj (complete self-rule) and believed in mass mobilisation, boycott, and direct action rather than only petitions. Final answer: Moderates favoured gradual, peaceful, constitutional protest for limited reforms, while Extremists demanded immediate Swaraj through mass agitation and boycott of British goods and institutions.
• Q: What led to the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920? A: Step 1: The Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed the British government to arrest and imprison people without trial, angering Indians. Step 2: This led to protests, and in Amritsar, British troops under General Dyer fired on an unarmed crowd at Jallianwala Bagh, killing hundreds. Step 3: This massacre shocked the whole country and destroyed remaining trust in British justice. Final answer: The Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 angered Indians so deeply that Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, urging Indians to withdraw cooperation from British institutions.
• Q: Describe the significance of the Dandi Salt March (1930). A: Step 1: The British government held a monopoly on salt production and taxed it heavily, affecting even the poorest Indians who needed salt daily. Step 2: Gandhi and his followers marched about 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi on the coast. Step 3: On reaching Dandi, Gandhi broke the salt law by making salt from seawater, symbolically defying British authority. Final answer: The Dandi Salt March launched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930; it united Indians across class and region in a simple, powerful act of breaking an unjust law, showing the world the strength of nonviolent resistance.

Board Exam Tip

In History board answers, always structure your response as Cause → Event → Effect with correct years. Examiners give marks for specific names (leaders, movements, acts) and dates, so avoid vague statements like 'people got angry' — instead write 'the Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed detention without trial, causing widespread anger.' Practice writing 3-4 line answers linking at least two events in sequence for 'explain the growth of the national movement' type questions.

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