Notes for last Tuesday's Discussion

It was brought to my attention that the information for last Tuesday was presented rather quickly. Therefore I am posting the overheads that were presented in class along with comments (in bold) explaining their meaning (the comments are the ones I gave to my substitute). If any of this is unclear, feel free to email me.

A Cruel War (emphasis that the 1857 was a cruel harsh war)
Kanpur/Cawnpore-massacre of women by troops (British women and children were massacred even though a true had been arranged)
Guerilla Warfare (Indian soldiers kept fighting as guerillas and the British fought them in a very brutal way, were willing to kill people on flimsy accusations so some Indians would accuse innocent people that were there enemies so that they would be executed)
Meerut: (this is a quote from a woman whose family was saved by their Indian servant—key is that it emphasizes the good Indian (the loyal servant) versus the bad Indian (the rebels). The good one is loyal to his British masters and shows the goodness of the British colonial enterprise, but the bad ones are disloyal showing they are bad and in need of reform)
“Our faithful servant, Golab Khan, seeing our perilous situation amidst the increasing flames, and that every moment was precious, with his characteristic presence of mind and quickness, had suddenly thought of a plan by which to draw away the mob, who, after having satisfied themselves with all the plunder they could get, were every moment becoming more eager in their search for us…”

Aftermath of the Rebellion
Distrust between British and Indians (the British don’t trust the Indians anymore, leading to problems later)
Queen’s Proclamation of 1858 (British used both repressive means to control Indians but also made concessions)
1) stopped land grabs
2) more tolerance for religion/culture
3) some civil service opportunities for Indians

Conservative/Tolerant—Give up major Reform
But what happens when India needs reform?
Spread of western/modern education—new elites (they themselves want reform, both social and greater role in government)

Indian National Congress
Founded 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume (member of Indian Civil Service)
Goals of Congress
1) Fusion of India into national whole
2) Gradual regeneration of India, “moral, mental, social, political”
3) Consolidation of Union between Britain and India
What contradictions do we see in these three principles?Why are they a danger to the continued existence of the British Empire in India? (they are dangerous because if India becomes united and reformed it may decide it no longer wants union with British)

Congress—membership (members of congress are mostly lawyers, who tend to be more progress and even radical, and landowners, who tend to be more conservative)
High numbers of lawyers and landowners

Dilemma for those who want independence
Does “regeneration” (modernization?) come first?
Or does independence come first?
Moderates generally answer yes and no while radicals answer no and yes

Moderates
Dadabhai Naoroji, elected to British Parliament (British were willing to allow Indians to be in British parliament, shows that despite repression, some British were open to Indians)
Idea of economic drain (thought Britain was using India to get rich, still questionable whether or not whether Britain made money off colonies, though merchants most likely did)
G.K. Gokhale, education and social welfare, inspired Ghandi (wanted to help people reform and only then could there be independence)

Radical
B.G. Tilak (Lokmanya-beloved of the world)

Methodology
“We are not armed, and there is no necessity for arms either. We have a stronger weapon, a political weapon, in boycott. We have perceived one fact, that the whole of this administration, which is carried on by a handful of Englishmen, is carried on with our assistance” (ask students what this means? British need Indians to rule so if Indians don’t cooperate British will have to leave)

1) British need us in order to rule, if we don’t work with them, they can’t hold on to India
2) Appeal to Hindu religion/tradition/identity to mobilize the masses
3) Social progress is not important (it’s just western anyway). Independence is important.

Tilak—use communalism to unite Hindus rather than all Indians, use that to defeat British (emphasizes Hindu tradition and identity leaving Muslims out)

1906 Muslim League—fearful of Hindu domination (divide and conquer policy of British, later becomes against the congress)
Communal tensions/fighting

How do the British keep control?
1) limited reform (carrot)
(ex Government of India Act, 1919)
2) repression (stick)
Rowlatt Acts, Amritsar Massacre (Rowlatt Acts limited freedom of the press and gave government extra powers in sedition, this happened during WW 1 but the British government wants to keep the laws on the books which is what the Rowlatt acts do
3) divide and conquer (keep some Indians against other Indians so British can control)

The Trap of Repression
1) March 1919 Rowlatt Acts
(makes many Indians angry)
2) April 13th 1919, Amritsar Massacre (British General Dyer fires on unarmed people who are together for a religious holiday (there weren’t supposed to be any meetings). Because of distrust of Indians (always worried another Mutiny might occur) and because there were protests against the Rowlatt acts that had been violent many British people were nervous. The point of this is that in India’s case, repression led to resistance which led to more repression which led to greater resistance, so it was a trap for the British. The more they oppressed the Indians the more angry Indians became and the more Indians became angry.
(makes Indians even more angry)

Desire to throw out British spreads through Indian society, masses are ready to be activated, need a leader:
Gandhi!

G.K. Gokhale+B.G. Tilak=Mahatma Gandhi (Ghandi borrowed from them)
Radical—wants the British out now/soon (more like radicals)
Moderate—social progress (still concerned with change)
Conservative—Uses Hindu tradition/Spinning Wheel (spinning wheel is important because of dominance of British textile goods)
Openness—Russian, English, Christian, Theosophy (open to other ideas)
Jains—emphasis on ahisma (non-violence) (Jains were a religious group that emphasized extreme non-violence, even eating plants was not that great, so anti-violence)

Method—satyagraha (soul force), boycotts (British cloth), civil disobedience (salt march)
Soul force gives strength, love and humility can overcome evil, British had monopoly on salt to raise money, making salt for one’s own use was illegal, so Gandhi and many other Indians marched to the sea to make salt as an act of civil disobedience against the law.