Question

Evaluate the role of business classes in the civil disobedience movement

Answer 1

The role of business classes in the 'Civil Disobedience' Movement : 

(a) Indian industrialists had made huge profits during the First World War. 

(b) They became powerful. They wanted to expand their business, they wanted protection against imports of foreign goods. 

(c) They formed the Indian Industries and Commercial Congress in 1920. 

(d) They formed Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries in 1927. 

(e) Purshotamdas, Thakurdas and G.D Birla attacked colonial control over the Indian economy and supported the Civil Disobedience Movement. 

Answer 2

The business class initially backed the civil disobedience movement. This was due to the fact that India's industrialists and merchants had become wealthy during World war 1. They wanted to develop their enterprises and needed protection from overseas competitors. Many prominent entrepreneurs, like Purshottamdas Thakurdas and G. D. Birla, chastised the colonial authority for restricting India's economic growth. They helped financially throughout the protests and refused to buy or sell imported goods. Many businessmen began to consider swaraj as the end of colonial commercial restraints. However, as time went on, they became concerned about the growing influence of socialism among the Congress's younger members.