Question

Explain with examples the significance of the Non-cooperation Movement in the Indian national movement.

Answer 1

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922), led by Mahatma Gandhi, marked a major turning point in India’s freedom struggle. Its significance is explained below:

1. Thousands of students withdrew from government schools and colleges, while many teachers and headmasters resigned. Lawyers also gave up their legal practices to protest British rule. Legislative council elections were boycotted in most provinces, except Madras.
2. The boycott of foreign goods had a strong impact, as imports of foreign cloth declined sharply from ₹ 102 crore to ₹ 57 crore between 1921 and 1922.
3. Liquor shops were picketed, and foreign cloth was publicly burnt in large bonfires.
4. Indian traders and merchants stopped dealing in foreign goods, which increased the demand for Indian products and encouraged higher production in Indian textile mills and handloom industries.
5. In Awadh, Baba Ramchandra led peasants against landlords over issues such as high rents and unpaid forced labour (begar). Panchayats organised nai-dhobi bandhs to withdraw services from landlords.
6. The establishment of the Oudh Kisan Sabha under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru linked peasant movements with the broader national struggle.
7. The movement spread political awareness and strengthened national unity by bringing people together across caste and class boundaries.