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political strategies of Indian national Movement

POLITY for Civil services
deepanalysis
Constitutionalism — (Institutional Methods)
  • Based on philosophy of liberalism.
  • Liberalism is based on assumption that man is rational. Hence political ends could be achieved by rational dialogue, therefore there is no need
  • States can provide legislature, local govt etc for –
    • Representation of people’s demands.
    • Involvement of them in administration.
    • Free and fair judicial system for redressal of grievances.
  • Idea of constitutionalism an imported idea, it originated in Britain.
  • It was introduced in India by colonial masters.
  • Britishers introduced modern institutions like –
    • Rule of law
    • Modern judicial system
    • Civil services
    • Assemblies
  • British tried to build hegemony by doing certain good actions to Indians to gain legitimacy of British rule, they incorporated Indians into assemblies and later into into ICS (especially after revolt of 1857).
  • Early nationalists employed constitutional methods like –
    • Bringing resolutions in assembly.
    • Sending memorials, prayers, petitions.
    • Appeals to justice.
    • Protests.
  • Thus constitutional methods differ from DIRECT ACTIONS –
    • Passive Resistance – Satyagraha
    • Non-cooperation – Dharna/Hartal
    • Boycott – Civil Disobedience
    • Rebellion/Mutiny – Terrorism
    • Criminal actions – Subversions (aiding foreign invasions)
  • Ideological Reasons – 
    • Most of them got western education and were impressed by values of liberalism. 
    • Early nationalists even believed that British rule is blessing in disguise. They had great faith in British’s sense of justice.
    • M.G Ranade – Thanked British for introducing rule of law, expressed that British rule in India is divine intervention to eradicate events of misrule in the past.
    • Surendranath Banerjee – Appealed to British to introduce the institutions which are truly British in character so that Indians can rejoice in permanent union with British.
    • Dadabhai Naroji – Held that British are justice loving people. Indians have to communicate their demand to the British in reasonable manner.
    • Ranade – Held that British rule is source is inspiration, hope and confidence. Indians are fortunate that they are rule by British.
  • Pragmatic Reasons – 
    • Gokhale – Acc to him constitutional methods were adopted as per circumstances. Direct action requires immense preparation and Indians were not ready for such action.
    • C.Y Chintamani – Acc to him, before introducing direct action we have to address internal divisions and disunity.
  • Criticism of Constitutional Methods – 
    • Tilak – Constitutional methods in front of alien bureaucracy is a political suicide.
    • Sri Aurobindo – Constitutional methods reflect INTELLECTUAL BANKRUPTCY of the leaders. He believed that Indians will have to strike at the roots of colonialism i.e boycotting foreign goods and adopting swadeshi.
    • J.L Nehru – Constitutional methods will not work as India does not have constitutional govt.
  • Assessment by Bipin Chandra – 
    • Direct action is possible only when masses are organised, unified & have common consciousness of common end. The objective (exploitative) conditions of colonial rule were bringing Indians together. But the subjective consciousness of common ends was missing.
    • Moderates were leaders as as learners. There was no readymade critique of imperialism available for them to understand. (Came only after 1950s…60s… Lenin).
      NOTE – The 1st analysis of imperialism/colonialism came with publication of book imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism by Lenin.
    • At the same time, British did introduce some good practices. All the features of evil empire were not on surface.
    • Though moderates did not carry out mass struggle but they carried out struggle at ideological level. They laid the foundation of the most spectacular mass movement.
    • Bipin Chandra quotes Ranade – “The memorials are not addressed to British, they were addressed to Indians”.
    • Bipin Chandra quotes Gokhale – “We are at such stage that our achievements are bound to be less and our failures too frequent. We must contend or satisfy ourselves by serving our country by our failures. It is though these failures that the struggles will emerge”.
Militant Nationalism/Extremist Ways – 
  • Extremists were 2nd generation of leaders represented by LAL-BAL-PAL.
  • They were dissatisfied with achievements of early nationalists.
  • They use of term extremists/militants is relative. These leaders appeared extremists in their demands and methods in comparison to earlier leaders who now appeared moderates.
  • Basic differences between moderates and extremists – 
    • Not much difference in terms of goal. Foal of both remained SWARAJ, with exception of Aurobindo’s swaraj, other leaders wanted dominion status or self rule.
    • The only differences was that they were getting impatient. Whatever reforms British have introduced in name of Indian Councils act appeared too little and too late. If failed to meet the aspirations.
      • No effective representation of Indians in law making.
      • Indians only got gradual rights to ask questions on budget and to bring resolution.
    • The main difference was in strategy.
      • Extremists favoured direct actions like –
        • Passive resistance
        • Boycott
        • Swadeshi
        • National education
        • National courts
      • Tilak rejected the method of petitions and asserted that Swaraj is birth right of Indians. He justified Prajadroh i.e right of people to resist an exploitative govt.
  • Evaluation of Extremists – 
    • Extremists phase was the next logical step.
    • Swadeshi movement can be considered as the successful movement led by INC.
    • Extremists could preserve the credibility of INC and created the base for launch of Gandhi’s mass movement.
    • Extremists have given stronger theory of nationalism based on cultural symbols. Unfortunately, it provided opportunity to British to give communal colour to movement presenting INC as party of Hindus.
    • To defeat the nationalist consciousness which emerged due to swadeshi, Britishers introduced MINTO MORLEY REFORMS, 1909 giving separate electorate for muslims and thus laid the statutory foundation of 2-nations theory.
Mass Strategy/Gandhian Phase – 
  • Gandhi led one of the biggest mass movements in the world successfully.
  • Mass movements can be categorised into 2 basic types –
    • Uncontrolled mass movement.
      French Revolution was spontaneous, uncontrolled mass movement.
    • Controlled mass movement.
      Russian, Chinese revolution and Gandhian movements all planned, directed and controlled mass movements.
  • We can also categorise mass movement in terms of strategy –
    • Marxist Leninist movement – Characteristic is sudden, (overnight, comprehensive and achieve immediate overthrow of system movements).
    • Gramscian and Gandhian – Both were contemporaries and show unique convergence in context of strategy. They suggested 2 stage of revolution in case of “opaque states” (where it is difficult to understand exploitative nature). Hence the movement has to be protracted movement (long drawn) known as war of position before arriving at point of direct action or war of manoeuvre/frontal attack.
  • Acc to Bipin Chandra, Gandhian movement was protracted movement with active and passive phases.
    • Active Phases – mass agitations
    • Passive Phases – Constructive programs
      He calls Gandhi’s strategy as strategy of S-T-S (Struggle-Truce-Struggle).
      Gandhian strategy was based on understand off mass psychology. Masses have limited capacity to participate. Besides being a psychologist, Gandhi was master strategist – Gandhi knew when to start and when to call off the movement. His approach was ‘proactive’ rather than active.
    • Proactive – In bigger context well planned.
      Reactive – Politics of opposition is reactive knee jerk reactions to small actions.
    • He can create issues out of nothing. He did not wait for some actions to start movement, but it was of his choice.
    • Proactive – Gandhian movement was proactive in the sense Gandhi never let ball in the court of enemy. He forced to respond. It was always initiative of Gandhi – the time, place, issue, was all choice of Gandhi.
      • Gandhi was always offensive rather than defensive and ‘offence is the best defence’.
    • Features of Gandhian Strategy –
      • Protracted, long
      • Proactive
      • Offensive
      • Active & Passive
He was extremely extremist Ambedkar told him – Grammar of Anarchy, leaders – don’t listen to others but make other others listen. Gandhi did street politics. 

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