The First World War Khilafat and Non-Cooperation, Unit1 of Chapter 2, Nationalism in India Class 10 notes, History
Table of Contents
Overview
The First World War Khilafat and Non-Cooperation is the Unit1 Of Chapter 2 (i.e. Nationalism in India) in Class 10 in History subject. Growth of modern nationalism in India is intimately connected to anti- colonial movement. People began discovering their unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism. The First World War had led to huge increase in defense expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes. At this stage, Mahatma Gandhi appeared as a new leader, who suggested a new mode of struggle called “Satyagraha.”
Introductory Questions
Q.1. What were the chief elements of modern nationalism in Europe during 19th century ?
Ans. Modern nationalism in Europe came to be associated with following elements :
- Formation of nation states
- Change in people’s understanding of who they are, what defined their identity and the sense of belonging. This led to redefining of community boundaries in Europe.
Q.2. In India, how did the modern nationalism grow ?
Ans. In India, growth of modern nationalism is intimately connected to anti- colonial movement. People began discovering their unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that tied many different groups together.
Q.3. What was the role of Congress under Mahatma Gandhi in strengthening the unity and nationalism in India ?
Ans. Each class and group of Indian population felt that the effects of colonialism differently. Their experiences varied and their meaning of freedom was not always the same.
The Congress under Mahatma Gandhi tried to forge these groups together with in one movement.
The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation
Note : The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation were important primary turns in the course of growth of Nationalism in India. Let us see how things unfolded.
Q.4. What new things did happen to national movement in the years after 1919 ?
Ans. In the years after 1919, the national movement –
- Spread to new areas,
- incorporated new social groups into it, and
- developed new ways of struggle.
Q.5.What were impact of First World War on India and on its national movement ?
Or, Q. What was the economic political situation in India when Gandhi came ?
Ans. World War I had created a new economic and political situation –
- The First World War had led to huge increase in defense expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes.
- Custom duties were raised and income tax was introduced.
- Prices increased to double between 1913 and 1918, leading to extreme hardship for common people.
- Forced recruitment of soldiers in rural areas caused widespread anger.
Crop failures of 1918-1919 and 1920-21 in many parts of India resulted in acute food shortage. This was accompanied by influenza epidemic. According to 1921 census, 12-13 million people perished as a result of famines and epidemic.
At this stage, Mahatma Gandhi appeared as a new leader, who suggested a new mode of struggle called “Satyagraha.”
The Idea of Satyagraha
Note : Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in January 1915.
Note : In South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi had successfully fought the racist regime with a novel method of mass agitation, which he called “Satyagraha.”
Q.6.What was the idea of Satyagraha, given by Mahatma Gandhi ?
Ans. Idea of Satyagraha emphasised (1)the power of truth, (2) the need to search for truth.
It suggested that if the cause was true, if struggle was against injustice, then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor. The oppressor can be won over through non- violence.
Process of Satyagraha appeals to the conscience of the oppressor and persuades them to see the truth behind the matter and accept it. By this method truth was bound to ultimately triumph.
Mahatma Gandhi believed that this dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.
Q.7. Discuss the various Satyagraha movements launched by Mahatma Gandhi after arriving in India.
Ans. After arriving in India, Mahatma Gandhi successfully organised Satyagraha movements in various places.
- In 1917, he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system.
- Again in 1917, he organised a Satyagraha to support the peasants of Kheda district of Gujarat. Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic, the peasants of Kheda couldn’t pay revenue and were demanding that revenue collection be relaxed.
- In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi went Ahmedabad to organise a Satyagraha movement amongst cotton mill workers.
Q.8. It is said of Passive Resistance that it is the weapon of the weak. Why did Mahatma Gandhi disagree with this statement?
Ans. Mahatma Gandhi believed that Passive Resistance was not the weapon of weak. Because the power which subject of this article, can be used only by the strong.
This power i.e. the power of truth is not passive resistance, because it calls for intense activity. He cited the example of his movement in South Africa, which was not passive but active.
Q.9. According to Mahatma Gandhi, What kind of force Satyagraha was?
Ans. Satyagraha is not a physical force. It is pure soul force. Truth is very substance of the soul. That’s why this force is called Satyagraha.
Q.10. What were different forms of Satyagraha ?
Ans. Different forms of Satyagraha include :
- persuasion and negotiation
- Strike
- Peace march
- Hijarat (Migration)
- Picketing
- Boycott
- Non-cooperation
- Civil disobedience
Q.11. How does a satyagrahi behave ?
Ans. For a Satyagrahi, non-violence is supreme dharma.
Since Satyagraha is not a physical force, a Satyagrahi doesn’t inflict pain on the adversary. He doesn’t seek his destruction. In the use of Satyagraha, there is no ill-will what so ever.
The Rowlatt Act
Q.12 What was the Rowlatt Act ?
Ans. The Rowlatt Act of 1919, gave the government – (1) enormous power to repress political activities and, (2) allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for 2 years.
Q.13. What was Jallianwala Bagh incident ? What were its impact ?
Ans. Emboldened with the success of his Satyagrah experiments in different parts of India, Mahatma Gandhi in1919, decided to launch a nationwide Satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act of1919.
This act had been hurriedly passed in Imperial Legislative Council, despite united opposition of its Indian members. This act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for 2 years.
Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws which start with a hartal on 6th April 1919.
Rallies were organised in various cities, workers went on strike in railway workshops and shops closed down.
Alarmed by the popular upsurge and being scared that lines of communication would be disrupted, the British administration decided to clamp down on nationalists. Government took following actions now :
- Local leaders were picked up from Amritsar.
- Mahatma Gandhi was barred from entering Delhi.
- On 10th April, the police in Amritsar fired upon a peaceful procession. This provoked people.
- Martial law was imposed in Amritsar and General Dyer took command.
On 13th April, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed ground of the Jallianwala Bagh. Some came to protest against the government’s new repressive measures. Others had come to attend the annual Baisakh fair at that place from near villages quite unaware of the imposition of the martial law in that place.
General Dyer entered the area, blocked the exit points, and opened fire on the crowd, killing hundreds. His objective was to create in the minds of Satyagrahis a feeling of terror and awe.
Impact of Jallianwala Bagh incident :
- Crowds took to streets in many north Indian towns.
- There were strikes, clashes with police, and attacks on government buildings.
Repressive Action By British Administration :
- The government responded with brutal repression, seeking to humiliate and terrorise people.
- Satyagrahis were forced to rub their nose on the ground, crawl on the street and do salam (salute) to all Sahibs.
- People were flogged.
- Villages around Gujrawala in Punjab (now in Pakistan) were bombed.
Final result of the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1919 / Rowlatt Satyagraha of 1919
- Seeing the spread of violence, Mahatma Gandhi called off the movement.
- As the Rowlatt Satyagraha was limited mostly to towns and cities, Mahatma Gandhi now felt the need to launch a more broad based movement in India, by bringing the Hindus and Muslims together.
Q.14. What was khilafat Issue ? Why did Gandhi take up this issue ?
Ans. The First World War had ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey. And there were rumours that a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed on the Ottoman Emperor – the spiritual head of the Islamic world (the Khalifa).
To defend the temporal powers (state related powers as contrast to spiritual power) of Khalifa, a Khilafat Committee was founded in India in Bombay in March of year 1919. A young generation of Muslim leaders under the leadership of Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali (together known as Ali brothers) led this committee.
They began discussing with Mahatma Gandhi about the possibility of a united mass action on the issue.
Gandhi saw this as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement. Gandhi since the days of Rowlatt Satyagraha had felt the need of bringing the Hindu and Muslims closer together so as to broaden the base of any future national movement against the Britishers.
Hence Gandhi took up the Khilafat Issue and led it. At the Calcutta Session of the Congress in September 1920, he convinced other Congress leaders about the need, to start a Khilafat Non-Cooperation Movement in support of Khilafat as well as Swaraj.
Why Non-cooperation ?
Q.15. As a tool / method, why was Non-Cooperation used by Mahatma Gandhi for a successful movement against Britishers ?
Ans. In his famous book Hind Swaraj(1909), Mahatma Gandhi declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians, and had survived only because of this cooperation.
He further writes that If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule in India would collapse within a year, and Swaraj would come.
It is because of such observations that Mahatma Gandhi used Non – Cooperation as method of protest in a mass movement.
Q.16. What were Gandhi’s plan to turn Non-Cooperation in to a mass movement ?
Or, Q. How could Non – Cooperation become a movement ?
Ans. Gandhi ji proposed that the Non – Cooperation movement should unfold in stages.
It should begin with the surrender of titles that the government had awarded. Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils, schools and foreign goods was also to be started along with it,
Then in case, government used repression, a full civil disobedience campaign would be launched.
Through the summer of 1920, Mahatma Gandhi and Shaukat Ali toured extensively mobilising popular support for movement.
After so many deliberations and discussions congress became ready, and the Non-Cooperation program was adopted in Nagpur session of congress in December in 1920.
Finally, the “Non-Cooperation – Khilafat Movement” began in January 1921.
Q.17. What were the worries of Congress in adopting Non- Cooperation as a method of movement for Khilafat issue ?
Ans. Many within Congress, were concerned about the proposals of Non – Cooperation – Khilafat Movement.
- They were reluctant to boycott the council elections which were scheduled for November 1920.
- They also feared that the movement might lead to popular violence.
Conclusion
Thus we see how The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation were important starting points in the growth of Nationalism in India.
