Question

Various factors led to the rise and growth of nationalism in India in the 19th century. In this context, explain the role of each of the following:

1. Socio-religious reform movements.
2. Repressive Colonial Policies.
3. The Press.

Answer 1

1. 1. Peasants were the primary victims of British colonial policies. The government took a significant portion of their produce in the form of land revenue and other levies.
   2. British economic policies undermined Indian trade and industry. The English East India Company wielded governmental power to destroy Indian handicrafts and industry. India became a source of raw materials for British companies, as well as a market for finished products.
   3. The expansion of modern industries resulted in the formation of a new social class in India: the working class. The factory owners, who were mostly English, took advantage of them.
   4. The main employment option for educated Indians was government service, which was highly competitive and offered few opportunities for advancement.
2. The British colonised India to further their own interests and, as a result, implemented restrictive measures to subjugate India to Britain’s requirements. These policies were a significant impediment to India’s economic, social, cultural, intellectual, and political progress. Some of these restrictive practices, including those Lord Lytton adopted:
   1. In 1877, Shah held a Grand Delhi Durbar to declare Queen Victoria as Empress of India. The event cost lakhs of rupees, but little was done to help Indians suffering from starvation.
   2. Lord Lytton introduced the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 and the Indian Arms Act of 1879.
   3. The maximum age limit for the Indian Civil Service test has been cut from 21 to 19 years, making it harder for Indians to compete.
   4. Import duties on British textiles were eliminated. It proved damaging to the Indian industry.
3. The press played an important role in communicating ideas to the public. Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s ‘Sarnvad Kaumudi,’ Dada Bhai Naoroji edited ‘Rast Goftar,’ and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar founded ‘Shome Prakash’ in Bengali in 1858. All of these magazines had a unique nationalist tone. Dailies such as ‘Times of India’ (1861), ‘Pioneer’ (1865), and ‘Statesman’ (1875) backed the government’s policies while informing readers about quick political developments in the country. The press had an important role in instilling patriotism, liberty, and justice in our country. Tilak preached freedom and natural rights through his writings in the ‘Kesari’ and ‘Maratha’.