Describe the factor which help in the growth of the National movement in India
Answers
Explanation:
1. Political and Administrative Unity:
One of the significant results of the British conquest of India was the establishment of a centralized state. It brought about a political and administrative unification of the country.
The pre- British India was divided into numerous feudal states frequently struggling among themselves to extend their boundaries. The British authority established a centralized state structure in India with a uniform reign of law. They enacted and codified laws which were applicable to every citizen of the state. These laws were enforced by a hierarchically graded system of tribunals.
2. English Language and Western Education:
Introduction of western education was another important factor which paved the way for the growth of nationalism. Three main agencies were responsible for the spread of modem education in India. They were the foreign Christian missionaries, the British Government and the progressive Indians. With the intension of spreading Christianity among the Indians, the Christian missionaries did extensive work in the spread of modern education.
3. Development of Transport and Means of Communication:
Modern means of transport helps in the consolidation of people into modern nations. In India too, the establishment of railways, construction of roads, canals and organisation of postal, telegraph and wireless services all over India contributed in forging the people into a nation.
What were the factors in the growth of Modern Nationalism during British rule?
1. Motives behind the colonial interest
The Indian nationalist movement was started when Indians realise that the colonial rule was the main reason for India’s economic backwardness. In other words, the interest of Indian involved the interest of all sections and classes like peasants, artisans, handicraftsmen, workers, intellectuals, the educated and the capitalists. The industrial infrastructure was in a pathetic state after 200 years of British rule in India. Small scale industries suffered badly and were facing near extinction.
2. Unification of Indians through political, administrative and economic reforms
The Europeans came as a trader in the 16th century, but British among other European proved themselves to be the strongest and broke the Dutch monopoly of trade in India. They got political control and began to exploit Indian resources and India was drained of its wealth badly. The Indian subcontinent under British rule extended from the Himalayas in the north to Cape Comorin in the south and from Assam in the east to the Khyber Pass in the west.
The reforms like professional civil services, unified judiciary accompanied by the codified civil and criminal laws added a new flavour in the dimensions of political unity as well as cultural unity. The planned development like railways, roads, electricity and telegraph were also the driving force because it bring people especially the leaders from different regions together.
Development of Judicial system during British India
3. Role of Western Thought and Education
The modern education played an important role in awakening of Indian political thinking because it assimilates the modern western ideas. The British introduces modern education to educate a small section of upper and middle classes to create a class “Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste” who would act as interpreters between the Government and the masses.
Hence, they came up with numerous acts and reforms like General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823; Lord Macaulay’s Education Policy, 1835; and at last Wood’s Dispatch, 1854 which is considered as the “Magna Carta of English Education in India” and contained a comprehensive plan for spreading education in India. This education system helped nationalist leader from different linguistic region to come to the same page linguistically. The new class of middle intelligentsia was emerges which were isolated by the Brahmanism culture.
Development of Education during British Period in India
4. Role of Press and Literature
The evolution of Indian press was fraught with developmental difficulties, illiteracy, colonial constraints and repression. It disseminated the ideas of freedom and became prominent tool for freedom struggle. There were 169 newspapers were published in vernacular languages and their circulation reached the neighbourhood of 1, 00,000 in 1870.
The press became tool to criticise the government policies and best platform to address the people to unite. This is the only reason of numerous restrictions imposed on the press during the colonial period from time to time. It helped people to spread, modern ideas of self-government, democracy, civil rights and industrialisation.
5. Rise of Indian Intellects and rediscovery of India’s past
The British Policy of interference resultant the rise of Indian intellects like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidhyasagar etc. who started reforming the Indian society from social evils and preaches the superiority of the Indian text and culture.
Some historian like BM Malabari, RG Bhandarkar, RL Mitra etc. shows a new picture of India’s past which was characterised by the well-developed political, economic and social institutions, flourished trade and commerce, rich heritage of art and culture. This kind of writing created an environment of self-respect and confidence among the nationalists that helped them to demolish the colonial myths of superiority.