The Swadeshi & BoyCott Movement (1905)

The Swadeshi & Boycott Movement 

The Swadeshi Movement had its genesis in the anti-partition movement which was started to oppose the British decision to partition of Bengal.

Partition of Bengal to divide people: 

• In December 1903, British government to decide the partition of Bengal. 
• The official reason given for the decision was that Bengal with a population of 78 million (about a quarter of total population of British India). 
• But the real motive was the British desire to weaken Bengal because the Centre of Indian nationalism was Bengal. 
• Two administration by dividing them-  

• On the basis of language (reducing the Bengali to a minority in Bengal itself as in the new proposal Bengal proper was have 17 million Bengalis & 37 million Hindu & Oriya speakers). 

• On the basis of the religion as the western half was to be a Hindu majority area (42 million out of total 54 million). 

•  Trying to woo the Muslim, Curzon argued that Dacca could become the capital of new Muslim majority provinces. 

   Anti-Partition Campaign Under Moderate – (1903-05) 

• During this period, the leadership were like Surrendranath Banerjee, K.K. Mitra & Prithwishchandra Ray. 
• The method adopted were petitions to the government, public meetings, memoranda & propaganda through pamphlets & newspaper such as Hitabadi, Sanjibani & Bengalee. 
• Their objective was to exert sufficient pressure on the government through an educated public opinion in India. 
• England to prevent the unjust partition of Bengal from being implemented. 
• When the government announced partition of Bengal. Then protest meetings were held in small towns all over Bengal then, that the pledge to boycott foreign goods was first taken. 
• On August 7, 1905 with the passage of Boycott resolution in a massive meeting held in Calcutta Townhall, the formal proclamation of Swadeshi Movement was made. 
• October 16, 1905 the day the partition formally came into force. That day people fasted, bathed in the Ganga & walked barefoot & singing BandeMatram {which almost spontaneously became the theme song of the movement}. 
•  People tied rakhis on each other’s hand as a symbol of unity of the two halves of Bengal. 
• Surrendranath Banerjee & Ananda Mohan Bose addressed huge gathering under nationwide banner within few hours collect Rs. 50,000 for the movement.

   The Congress’s Position-  

• The INC meeting in 1905 under the presidentship of Gokhale resolved to-   
• Condemn the partition of Bengal & the reactionary policies of Curzon. 
• Support the anti-partition & Swadeshi Movement of Bengal. 

• The Militant nationalist led by Tilak, Lala Lajapat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal & Aurobindo Ghosh wanted the movement to be taken outside of Bengal to other part of the country.  

• At that time, Congress session held at Calcutta in 1906 under the presidentship of Dadabhai Naroji decalred that the goal of Indian National Cingress was “self-government or swaraj” like United-Kingdom.

      The Movement Under Extremist Leaders: 

• After 1905, the extremist acquired a dominant influence over a Swadeshi Movement in Bengal. 
• There were three reason for this:  

1. The Moderate led movement has failed to yield result.
2. The divisive tactics of the government of both the Bengal had embittered the nationalist.
3. The govt. which included atrocities on student-

• many of whom were given corporal punishments.
• Ban on public singing of BandeMatram.
• restriction on public meeting.
• Long imprisonment of Swadeshi workers.
• clashes b/w the police & people in many towns.
• suppression of freedom of press.

     The Extremist programme: 

• Already Dadabhai Naoroji`s declared at the Calcutta session 1906, that self-government or swaraj was to be the goal of the congress. 
• The Extremist gave a call for addition to swadeshi & boycott which was include a boycott of govt. school & colleges; govt. services; govt. titles; courts; legislative council etc. 
• The militant nationalist transform to the anti-partition & swadeshi movement into a mass struggle & gave the slogan-

“Political freedom is the life breath of nation”.

The goal of independence was to be achieved through self-scarifies.

 New form of struggle: 

• The militant nationalist put forward several fresh ideas at the theoretical, propaganda & programme level. 
• The several forms of struggle thrown up by the movement were:
• boycott of foreign goods. 
• public meetings & procession. 
• Corps of volunteers or samitis. 
• Programme of swadeshi or national education. 
• Swadeshi or indigenous enterprises. 
• Impact in cultural sphere. 
• Imaginative use of traditional popular festivals & melas. 
• Emphasis given to self-reliance or ‘atma-shakti’.

          Programme of swadeshi or national education.

• Bengal National College inspired by Tagore’s Shantiniketan, was set up with Aurobindo Ghosh as its principal.
• On August 15, 1906 the National Council of Education were setup in organize a system of Education-
• Literally; scientific & technical on national line & under national control.
• Bengal Institutes of Technology was setup for technical education & funds were raised to send student to Japan for advance learning.

  Swadeshi or Indigenous enterprises:

• Establishment of Swadeshi textile mills; soap & match factories; tanneries; books; insurance companies; shops etc.
• The enterprises were based more on patriotic zeal than or business acumen.

Impact in cultural sphere:

• The nationalist of all hues took inspiration from songs written by Rabindranath Tagore; Rajnikant Sen; Dwijendra Pal; Mukunda Das; SyedAbu Mohammad & others.
• Tagore’s Amar Sonar Bangla written on this occasion was later to inspire the liberation struggle of Bangladesh & adopted to its national Anthem.
• In painting, Abandiranath tagore (Painting of Bharat Mata), broke the domination of Victorian naturalism over Indian art & took inspiration from Mughal, Ajanta & Rajput Paintings.

 “Indian society of Oriental Art”, founded in 1907.

• In science, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Profullchandra Roy & other pioneered original research which was praised the world over.

: Extent of Mass Participation:

Student came out in large numbers to propagate & practice swadeshi & take a lead in organizing picketing of shops selling foreign goods.

Govt. announced student who were found guilty of participation were to be disqualified for government jobs & government scholarship, & disciplinary action- fine; expulsion; arrest; beating etc. was to be taken against them.

Home-centered women, especially those of urban middle classes, took active part in processions & picketing.

Some of the Muslim participated- Barrister, Abdul Rasul, Liaqat Hussain, Guznavi, Maulana Azad {who joined one of the revolutionary terrorist group.}

Most of upper & middle class Muslim led by Nawab Sallimullah of Dacca, supported tha partition on the plea {Muslim majority East Bengal}.

The working class organized the strikes in British owned concerns such as Eastern India Railway.

To further government interests, All India Muslim League was propped up in 1907 as an Anti-congress party front & reactionary element like Nawab Sallimullah of Dacca were encouraged.

Annulment (Cancel) of Partition

It was decided to cancel the partition of Bengal in 1911 mainly to menace of revolutionary terrorism.

The Cancellation came as a rude shock to the Muslim Political elite.

It was also decided to shift the capital to Delhi, it was associated with Muslim glory, and the Muslim wasn’t pleased.

Bihar & Orissa was taken out of Bengal & Assam was made a separate province.

 

Evaluation of Swadeshi Movement

The Movement fizzles out-

By 1908, the open phase of the movement was almost over.

This was due to many reasons:  

• There was severe government repression. 
• The movement was leaderless with most of the leader either arrested or departed from country by 1908 & with Aurbindo Ghosh & Bipin Chandra Pal retiring from active politics. 
• Internal fight among leaders magnified by Surat Split (1907) did much harm to the movement. 
• The movement largely remained confined to the upper, middle class & zamindars & failed to reach the masses- especially the peasantry. 
• It is difficult to sustain a mass based movement at a high pitch for too long.

Moderates	Extremist
Social base Zamindars & upper middle class in towns.	Social base educated middle & lower middle classes in towns
Ideological inspiration western liberal thought & European history.	Ideological inspiration Indian History, cultural heritage & Hindu traditional symbols.
Loyalty to the British govt.	Believed that the British Crown was unworthy of claiming Indian loyalty.
Demanded constitutional reforms & share for Indians in service.	Demanded Swaraj as the panacea for India ills.
They were patriots & didn’t play the role of a comprador class.	They were patriot who made sacrifices for the sake of the country.

 

 

 

Phases of Indian National Movement

Ø Phases of Indian National Movement

1.    Moderate phase (1885-1905)

2.    Extremist Phase (1906-1915)

3.    Gandhian Phase (1915-1947)

 

1. Moderate Phase (1885-1905)

·        The national leader like Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozshah Mehta, W.C. Banerjee, S.N. Banerjea, D.E. Wacha who dominated the congress policies during this period were believers in the “liberalism” & “moderate politics”.

·        They were people who believed in British justice & were loyal to them.

Dadabhai Naoroji:

·        Known as the ‘Grand old man of India’.

·        He became to the first Indian to become a member of the House of common in British.

·        Authored ‘Poverty & Un-British rule in India’ which focused on the economic drain of India because of British policies.

Womesh Chandra Banerjee:

·        First president of INC {Indian National Congress}

·        Lawyer by profession.

·        First Indian to act as standing counsel.

G Subramanya Aiyer:

·        Founded ‘The Hindu newspaper’ where he criticized British imperialism.

·        Also founded ‘Tamil newspaper’ ‘Swadesamitran’.

·        Co-founded the “the Madras Mahajana Sabha”.

Sir Surendranath Banerjee:

·        Also called “Rashtraguru” & “Indian Burke”

·        Founded the “Indian National Association” which later merged with the INC.

·        Cleared the Indian Civil Service but with discharged due to racial discrimination.

·        Founded the newspaper “The Bengalee”.

 

#   Aims & Demands of the Moderates:

   

o   Education of the masses & organizing public opinion, make people aware of the rights.

o   Indian representation in the executive council & in the India Council in London.

o   Reform of the Legislative council.

o   Separation of the executive from judiciary.

o   Decreased land revenue tax.

o   After 1892, raised the slogan “No taxation without representation”.

o   Reduce the expenditure on the army.

o   Abolition of the salt tax & duty of sugar.

o   Holding the ICS exam in India and England allow more Indians to opportunity take part in the administration.

o   Freedom of speech & expression.

o   Development of modern capitalist industry in India.

o   End of economic drain of Indian by the British.

o   Increasing spending on education of Indians.

o   Repelling the Arms Act of 1878.

#    Method of Moderate

o   They believed in peaceful & constitutional method to demand & fulfill those demands.

o   Used petitions, meetings, resolution, pamphlets, memoranda & delegates to voice their demand.

o   This method has been called 3P- Prayer, Petition & Protest.

o   Had complete faith in the British Justice System.

o   Confined to the educated classes only didn’t try to use masses.

o   They aimed only at getting political rights & self-agreement under British dominion.

#    Success of the Moderates:

o   Indian Council act 1892 was the first achievement of the INC.

o   This Act increased the size of the legislative council & also increased the proportion of non-officials in them.

o   There were able to sow the seeds of nationalism in the people.

o   They popularized ideals like democracy, liberty & equality.

o   They exposed many draining economic policies of the British.

o   Leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale & MG Ronade were social reforms too & opposed child marriage & imposed widowhood.

 

 

 

 

Indian Council Act 1892

The main provisions of this Act are as follows:

·        Number of additional members in Imperial Legislative Councils & the Provisional Legislative Council was raised. In Imperial Legislative Council, now the governor-general could have 10-16 member’s non-officials (instead of 6-10 previously).

·        Some of these additional members could be indirectly elected.

·        Thus an element of election was introduced for the first time.

·        Budget could be discussed.

·        Question could be asked.

But there were certain limitations of these reforms:

·        The official retained their majority in the council, thus leaving ineffective the non-official voice.

·        The reformed imperial Legislative Council met, during its tenure till 1909, on an average for only thirteen days in a year, & the number of unofficial Indian member’s present was only 5 out of 24.

·        The budget could not be voted upon, nor could any amendments be made to it.

·        Supplementaries could not be asked, nor could answers be discussed.

 

#    Limitations of the Moderates:

o   This phase of national movement excluded the masses & only the educated people participated in it.

o   They didn’t demand complete independence from foreign rule.

o   Drew most of their ideas from western political thinking which further separated them from the people.

o   They didn’t understand the power of mass movement of the people.

 

#    Attitude of the Government:

The government adopted a ‘dived & rule’ policy towards the Congress. The officials encouraged reactionary elements like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan & Raja Shiv Prasad Singh of Benaras to organize the United India Patriotic Association to counter congress propaganda.

The Government also tried to divide the nationalist on the basis of the religion, and through a policy of “carrot & stick”, pitted the Moderate against the Extremists. But the Government failed to check the rising tide of nationalism.

 

2. Extremist Phase (1906-1915)

#    Growth of the Militant Nationalism:

A radical trend of the militant nationalist approach to political activity started emerging in the 1890s & it took a concrete shape by 1905.

 

#    Why Militant Nationalism Grow-

·       Recognition of the true nature of British rule.

·       Growth of the confidence & self-respect.

·       Growth of the Education.

·       International Influences.

·       Reaction to increasing westernization.

·       Dissatisfaction with Achievements of Moderates.

·       Reaction policies of Curzon.

·       Emergence of trained leadership.

1.   Recognition of the true nature of British rule:

o   Having seen that the government was not accept their important demands.

Then more militant among those started looking or a more effective mode of political action.

o   The economic trouble in the 1890s further exposed the exploitative character of colonial rule.

o   Therefore, 90 lakh people killed by famines b/w 1896 & 1900. Bubonic Plague affected large area of the Deccan. There were large-scale riots in the Deecan.

o   The government was taking away even the existing ones-

­   1892   -             the Indian Council act was criticized by the nationalist as it failed to satisfy them.

­   1897 –             the native brothers were departed without trial; and Tilak & others, imprisoned on charge of sedition.

­   1898 –             repressive law under IPC section 124A were further     amplified with new provisions under IPC Section 156A.

­   1899 –             No. of Indian members in Calcutta corporation were reduced.

­   1904 –             official secret Act curbed freedom of press.

­   1904 -              Indian Universities Act ensured greater government control over universities, which it described as factories producing political revolutionaries.

o   It was suppressing the spread of education especially mass & technical education.

 

2.     Growth of Confidence & Self-respect:

·        Tilak, Aurbindo & Bipin Chandra Pal repeatedly request to nationalist to trust on the character & capacities of the Indian people.

·        A feeling started gaining currency that only the masses were capable of making that huge scarifies to win the freedom.

 

3.     Growth of Education:

·        One side the spread of education led to an increased awareness among the masses and the other side, the rise in unemployment & underemployment among the educated drew attention to poverty & underdeveloped state of country`s economic under colonial rule.

·        By this reason the more people towards the more radical nationalist.

 

4.     International Influences:

·        Remarkable progress made by Japan after 1868 & its emergence as an industrial power opened the eyes of Indian to the fact that economic progress was possible without any external help.

·        The defeat of the Italian army by Ethiopians (1896).

·        The Boer wars (1899-1902) against British.

·        Japan victory over Russia (1905).

 

5.     Reaction & Increasing Westernization:

·        The intellectual & moral inspiration of the new leadership was Indian.

·        Intellectual like Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee & Swami Dayananda Saraswati inspired many young nationalists with their forceful & articulate arguments, painting Indian’s past in brighter colors & than the British ideologues had.

·        Dayananda political message was “India for the Indians”

 

6.     Dissatisfaction with achievements of Moderate:

·        The youngest people within the congress were dissatisfied with the achievements of the Moderate, during the first 15-20 years.

·        They were strongly critical of the method of peaceful & constitutional agitation, known as the three ‘P’s – prayer, petition, protest.

           and describe these methods as “political mendicancy”.

7.     Reactionary policies of Curzon

In the Curzon’s seven year’s rule

·        He refused to recognize India as a nation & insulted Indian nationalist & the intelligentsia by describing their activities as “letting off of gas”.

·        Administrative measures adopted during his rule-

­   the official secret Act;

­   the Indian Universities Act;

­   the Calcutta Corporation Act;

­   the partition of Bengal.

·        Left no doubt in Indian minds about the basically reactionary nature of British rule in India.

 

8.     Emergence of trained leadership:

·        This leadership could provide a proper channelization of the immense potential for political struggle which the masses possessed.

·        The Militant nationalist thought were ready to give expression to.

·        This energy of the masses got a release during the movement against the partition of Bengal which acquired the form of swadeshi agitation.

 

Views:

 

“If there is a sin in the world, it is a weakness; avoid all weakness;

weakness is a sin; weakness is a death.”

                                      - Swami Vivekananda.

 

“The Extremist of today will be in the Moderates of tomorrow

Just as the moderates of today were the Extremist of yesterday”.

-         Bal Gangadhar Tilak.