Consequences of Mutiny
Military
Social
Political
Most significant factor on Indian economic growth 1857-1914
Railways
Irrigation
Port facilities
Living standards 1857-1914
Taxation
Tariffs
Famines
Job opportunities
Progress towards self-government 1880-1945
Ripon
The reforms introduced by Lord Ripon in 1883 provided for local self-government.
Indian rural boards were given extra powers to raise money for local works - education, health, roads
Free of govt control
Training Indians to manage their own affairs
Decentralisation of administration
1892 Indian Councils Act
provided the opportunity for Indians to sit on provincial legislative councils and participate in the formal consultative process
Morley-Minto reforms
provided for 60 Indian representatives to serve on the Viceroy’s executive council
give Indians a much greater voice in the governing of the country
separate electorates promised to Muslims following Simla Deputation
1909 Act
Muslims participated wholeheartedly on the councils because seats were reserved for them - separate electorates
60 Indian representatives to serve on Viceroy’s legislative council
Provincial councils to be largened - 135 total elected officials / previously only 39 permitted by Indian Councils Act 1892
Advisory councils - 24 accepted changes (168 made, 76 rejected)
Partition of Bengal in 1905
led to unrest, which weakened the British position in India and encouraged Congress to work towards independence from Britain
e.g. Gokhle’s promotion tour in 1906
Lack of consultation led Indians to believe they could rule india better
Massive petition to Viceroy to bring partition to an end
Swadeshi movement and terrorist boycotts ensued
1908 - 2 European women killed when bomb intended for judge was thrown in wrong carriage
Shooting of official at Indian office by a Punjabi in London
Boycott of lancashire cotton - public burnings
1911 - reunification of Bengal
Orissa and Bihar - 42 million Hindus and 9 million Muslims
Eastern Bengal - 12 million Hindus and 18 million Muslims
WW1
India’s involvement boosted nationalism and the idea of self-government
Additional 827,000 enlisted by 1918 - loyalty grew
1.3 million soldiers fought - 400,00 Muslims (62,000 died),
muslim loyalty was divided when fighting with Turkey (head of Islamic community)
Allies stressed that they were fighting for the rights of the nation and democracy
Raised Indian self-esteem
Lucknow Pact December 1916
Agreement - Muslims and Hindus declared self-government as their aim and established how it would work
Promised a fixed proportion of seats in the Indian parliament + extra seats where they were a minority
Reassured muslims
Montagu Declaration August 1917
demonstrated in the rapid growth of Tilak’s Home Rule League
60,000 joined in the first year
Tilak’s and Annie’s leagues eventually merged
Both annie and tilak arrested
August 1917 - Britain promised eventual self-government
Government of India Act 1919
provided for a dyarchy in which Indians would have control over areas such as education and local government and greater representation on the provincial and
legislative councils
Viceroy advised by 6 civilians (3 Indians)
Decision making shifted from central to provincial
Irwin Declaration 1929
Reiterated the commitments made in the Montagu Declaration (1917) that the British government would eventually grant India some form of self-government
The Irwin Declaration made the important statement that the attainment of dominion status would be the natural development for India in its progress towards
self-government
Whilst the Irwin Declaration left viceregal and military matters in British hands, it facilitated significant progress towards self-government by stating that provincial
government would be entirely Indian
The Irwin Declaration was important because it paved the way to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) that brought the civil disobedience campaign to an end and enabled
Gandhi to attend the second Round Table Conference.
Most significant factor in the growth of nationalism in India in the years 1885–1920?
Division of Bengal (1905)
Lord Curzon took the decision himself without consulting any other authority
suggested an arbitrary nature to British rule
Congress headed up the national campaign to oppose the partition
captured the national mood of unity against the British
swadesh campaign included a boycott of British goods; Lancashire cotton was publicly burned
Indian politicians regarded the division as a classic case of British divide and rule and a deliberate attempt to create divisions between Hindus, Congress and Muslims.
Bengal was reunified in 1911 but this did not lead to a decrease in nationalism
First World War (1914)
India’s involvement boosted nationalism and the idea of self-government
Additional 827,000 enlisted by 1918 - loyalty grew
1.3 million soldiers fought - 400,00 Muslims (62,000 died)
Loyalty to the crown before 1914, demonstrated by the outburst of support for the Raj when the war broke out, suggests that nationalism was not growing
significantly before the war
muslim loyalty was divided when fighting with Turkey (head of Islamic community)
Allies stressed that they were fighting for the rights of the nation and democracy
The events of the First World War encouraged the INC and the Muslim League to adopt the principle of self-government as a goal for India after the war
Raised Indian self-esteem
Indian soldiers fighting alongside the British developed strengthened self-esteem and a belief in concepts of democracy and freedom
Sacrifices made by the Indians in the war were recognised by the Montagu Declaration which raised hopes for self-government
100 million gifted for war effort → met with repression of Rowlatt Acts
Morely-Minto reforms (1905-1910) aka Indian Council’s Act 1909
provided for 60 Indian representatives to serve on the Viceroy’s executive council
give Indians a much greater voice in the governing of the country
separate electorates promised to Muslims following Simla Deputation
Radicals were upset about limited roles given to Indians
GOI (1919)
disappointed Indians wanting Home Rule and led to an upsurge in nationalism and increased violence against the British
two Home Rule Leagues were established and they gained much support in India
Tilaks’ HRL - 60,000 supporters in first year
Role of the INC (1885)
encouraged nationalist sympathies - by the early 1900s it was well established with the organisation to promote its views
Lucknow Pact (1916)
Agreement - Muslims and Hindus declared self-government as their aim and established how it would work
Promised a fixed proportion of seats in the Indian parliament + extra seats where they were a minority
Reassured muslims
brought together the Congress and Muslim League and outlined how self-government in India would work
1919 Amritsar Massacre
turned loyal Indians against the Raj and confirmed for many that self-government was the only way forward
INC attitudes towards British control
AIML attitudes towards British control
Progress towards independence 1919-1935
Political negotiations
Civil disobedience
WW2
Jinnah
Gandhi
use of non-violence as a campaigning method placed the Indians on the moral high ground
exposed the cruelty of the British and undermined their right to rule
2500 attacked by 400+ policemen with bats and rifles
1920 swadesh stirred up the nation by giving the masses an active role to play, leading to increased nationalist sentiment
Burning Lancashire cotton
1930 Salt March attracted the attention of the world press and placed pressure on the British to discuss India’s constitutional future
Battle of right against might
Symbolic opposition
Webb Miller - US journalist
British response to the campaigns was the 1935 Government of India Act which expanded the Indian electorate
Nehru
Use of Indian army (1857-1945)
Imperial defence
WW1
WW2
Amritsar Massacre
Mutiny reaction
Reason for Partition (1920-1947)
Cabinet Mission
Reason for communal violence after partition
