The popular mass character of the Swadeshi movement was short-lived by mid-1908.(Answer in 200 words)
The Surat Split of the Indian National Congress in 1907 into Moderate and Extremist factions took place in the aftermath of the partition of Bengal. Around that time, the country was in the grip of the Swadeshi and Boycott movements against the British government, and militant nationalism was on theRead more
The Surat Split of the Indian National Congress in 1907 into Moderate and Extremist factions took place in the aftermath of the partition of Bengal. Around that time, the country was in the grip of the Swadeshi and Boycott movements against the British government, and militant nationalism was on the rise.
The various factors leading to the Split include:
- Disagreement over the extension of the Swadeshi and Boycott movements: The Extremists did not subscribe to the methods of the Moderate leaders, which they thought bore no results. They believed in the capacity of the masses and wanted to extend the movements all across India to overthrow the British government. However, the Moderate leadership wanted to keep the movements localised due to the fear of reprisals.
- Issue of Swaraj: Despite their agreement on the negative consequences of the British rule over India and the need for self-government (Swaraj), the Moderates were reluctant to declare it as the goal of the Congress, which increased the frustration of the Extremists.
- Tussle over the Presidentship of the Congress: The Extremists wanted Tilak or Lala Lajpat Rai to be the President of the Congress whereas the Moderates wanted Rash Behari Ghose as the President.
- British policy of divide and rule: The Extremists were severely repressed by the British government while the Moderates were placated through concessions. For instance, the government offered reforms in the Legislative Councils and in the beginning of 1906, it discussed them with the Moderates even when a vigorous popular movement was going on.
The Split of 1907 dealt a blow to the Congress and India’s freedom struggle. Its consequences were the following:
- Loss of public support: The Moderates lost support in the eyes of the politically conscious and educated Indians who were more sympathetic to the views of the Extremists. With the passing of time, the Moderate group turned into a small coterie.
- Loss of momentum in the nationalist movements: In the absence of popular leaders like Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai etc., the Extremists were unable to create an alternative party, the Swadeshi and Boycott movements lost their leg, and by 1908, the nationalist movement as a whole declined.
- Victory for the British: The Moderates gave up the radical agendas adopted at previous sessions of the Congress at Banaras and Calcutta. To placate the Moderates, the British brought in the Morley-Minto reforms in 1909, which were more of an eyewash and with its separate electorate provisions, sowed the seeds of India’s partition.
- Rise of revolutionary terrorism: The Split left the national movement leaderless and directionless for quite some time paving the way for the first phase of revolutionary terrorism.
However, Indian leadership learnt from its mistakes and when a similar situation arose in 1924 with respect to the Swarajists and in 1936 between Nehru and Leftists, they remained united against the British despite their differences.
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The period of Swadeshi movement, which began in 1905 amidst partition of Bengal and lasted for several years, was an important part of India's fight for independence. The objective was to avoid British products and encourage the use of Indian goods to develop a self-sufficient economy. The SwadeshiRead more
The period of Swadeshi movement, which began in 1905 amidst partition of Bengal and lasted for several years, was an important part of India’s fight for independence. The objective was to avoid British products and encourage the use of Indian goods to develop a self-sufficient economy.
The Swadeshi movement lost momentum due to severe government repression, as the British government used brutal force to suppress the protests. The authorities apprehended numerous officials, placed limits on public assemblies, and passed legislation to quash nationalist efforts.
The Swadeshi movement suffered from poor organisation and lack of discipline. The absence of strong leadership in the movement resulted in inconsistencies in direction, causing confusion among the population. There was a division within Nationalist ranks as the Swadeshi movement split into two groups – the Moderates and the Extremists. The Moderates supported peaceful demonstrations and step-by-step changes, while the Extremists pushed for more extreme actions, such as violent demonstrations. The division hindered the effectiveness of the movement, which the British government exploited.
Limited support among the masses: The Swadeshi movement had a narrow social base. The movement received its main support from the middle class and intellectuals, with little participation from the peasants, workers, and rural residents.
Crusade without a leader: The movement did not have a charismatic leader to motivate and bring together the people. The movement struggled to maintain its momentum as it lacked a leader, causing it to eventually lose its appeal.
Students were removed from public schools and colleges during prohibited public gatherings and processions. The media was placed under strict regulations. Police used it for dispersing public gatherings and assemblies.
During the Surat session in 1907, the Congress divided, causing additional harm to the Swadeshi movement.
The leaders of the movement, such as Ashwini Kumar Dutt, Krishna Kumar Mitra, Lokmanya Tilak, Ajit Singh, Lajpat Rai, Chidambaram Pillai, were swiftly targeted by the government, resulting in the movement becoming leaderless. Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh stepped down from politics together.
However, it is important to note that no mass movement can maintain a constant pace indefinitely without breaks, especially when encountering strong opposition, and this applies to the Swadeshi and boycott movements as well.
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