Indian Nationalism
PART B HISTORY COURSEWORK
“Assess the significance of Indian Nationalism in the period 1845-1947 in changing Britain’s relationship with its Empire in India”.
It is possible to say that it was a rising feeling of nationalism that led to the change in relations between Britain and India which is what led to the ultimate end of the British Empire since it came to a point where India was ungovernable. John Keay states that “India was convulsed by a crescendo of satyagrahas, swadeshi boycotts; strikes and disturbances in the great display of mass non-cooperation.(Keay pg. 477).This shows that India refused to be controlled by the British and did everything in their power to drive British rule out. Another possible reason why there was a change in relations was due to the fact that the British realized that India was not worth the fight anymore. India became more or less a burden to the British since during the war and after, post war constructions were too much along with other parts of the empire struggling for independence made them give up control. The labor and liberal parties were willing to give India its independence and at one point Lord Montagu said there’d be a “responsible Government in India” in 1917. Although, there were more conservative British officials that didn’t want to let go of the empire in India such as Winston Churchill. Therefore the British took apart any and all forms of resistance to the empire. Copeland states that “the British felt compelled to stay in India to honor their various commitments they had made”. (Copland pg. 19)
The main aims of Indian nationalism were to make India ungovernable so that the British would leave. Ian Copeland states that "Both war and depression fuelled the rise of nationalism in India". The Amritsar Massacre was a very important part of the nationalist battle against India since it made many prominent Pro British Indian figures to finally stand up and say the British are done. Punjab became a completely
“Assess the significance of Indian Nationalism in the period 1845-1947 in changing Britain’s relationship with its Empire in India”.
It is possible to say that it was a rising feeling of nationalism that led to the change in relations between Britain and India which is what led to the ultimate end of the British Empire since it came to a point where India was ungovernable. John Keay states that “India was convulsed by a crescendo of satyagrahas, swadeshi boycotts; strikes and disturbances in the great display of mass non-cooperation.(Keay pg. 477).This shows that India refused to be controlled by the British and did everything in their power to drive British rule out. Another possible reason why there was a change in relations was due to the fact that the British realized that India was not worth the fight anymore. India became more or less a burden to the British since during the war and after, post war constructions were too much along with other parts of the empire struggling for independence made them give up control. The labor and liberal parties were willing to give India its independence and at one point Lord Montagu said there’d be a “responsible Government in India” in 1917. Although, there were more conservative British officials that didn’t want to let go of the empire in India such as Winston Churchill. Therefore the British took apart any and all forms of resistance to the empire. Copeland states that “the British felt compelled to stay in India to honor their various commitments they had made”. (Copland pg. 19)
The main aims of Indian nationalism were to make India ungovernable so that the British would leave. Ian Copeland states that "Both war and depression fuelled the rise of nationalism in India". The Amritsar Massacre was a very important part of the nationalist battle against India since it made many prominent Pro British Indian figures to finally stand up and say the British are done. Punjab became a completely