The beginning of modern nationalism in India has traditionally been explained in terms of the Indian response to the stimulus generated by the British Raj through the establishment of new institutions, opportunities, and resources, among other things. In other words, Indian nationalism grew as a result of colonial policies and as a reaction to colonial policies. In fact, it would be more accurate to view Indian nationalism as the result of a confluence of factors. In this article, we will learn about various factors and aspects related to the beginning of modern nationalism in India which will be helpful for the preparation of the UPSC exam.

What is Nationalism?

• Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation and the state should be congruent.
• Nationalism, as a movement, tends to promote the interests of a specific nation, particularly in terms of gaining and retaining sovereignty over one's homeland in order to establish a nation state.
• Nationalism holds that each nation should govern itself, free of outside interference (self-determination), that a nation is the natural and ideal foundation for a polity, and that the nation is the only legitimate source of political power.
• It also aims to promote national unity or solidarity by establishing and maintaining a single national identity based on shared social characteristics such as culture, ethnicity, geographic location, language, politics (or the government), religion, traditions, and belief in a shared singular history.

Features of Modern Nationalism in India

• Modern nationalism became associated with the formation of nation-states. It also meant that people's perceptions of who they were and what defined their identity and sense of belonging shifted.
• New symbols and icons, new songs and ideas forged new connections and redefined community boundaries. In most countries, the process of developing a new national identity took a long time.
• The rise of modern nationalism in India, as in many other colonies, is inextricably linked to the anti-colonial movement.
• People began to realize their unity as a result of their struggle against colonialism. The sense of oppression under colonialism provided a common bond that united many disparate groups.
• However, each class and group felt the effects of colonialism differently, their experiences varied, and their ideas about freedom were not always the same.
• The Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, attempted to unite these disparate groups into a single movement. However, the unity did not come without conflict.

Factors Responsible for Growth of Modern Nationalism

Understanding Contradictions in Indian and Colonial Interests

• People realized that colonial rule was a major cause of India's economic backwardness and that the interests of Indians included the interests of all sections and classes.
• The nationalist movement arose to confront the contradictions inherent in colonial rule's character and policies.

Unification of the country's politics, administration, and economy

• A professional civil service, a unified judiciary, and codified civil and criminal laws across the country added a new dimension of political unity to the previously unbroken cultural unity that had existed in India for centuries.
• Administrative convenience, military defense considerations, and the desire for economic penetration and commercial exploitation (all in British interests) were the driving forces behind the planned development of modern modes of transportation and communication such as railways, roads, electricity, and telegraph.
• According to nationalists, the process of unification had two effects:
  • the economic fate of people from different regions became intertwined.
  • this was significant for the exchange of political ideas, as well as for mobilizing and organizing public opinion on political and economic issues.

Western Education and Thought

• Modern educational systems provided opportunities for assimilation of modern Western ideas while also allowing nationalist leaders from various linguistic regions to communicate with one another.
• The English educated class comprised the middle class intelligentsia, which served as the nucleus for the newly arising political unrest.

The Press and Literature's Role

• On the one hand, the press criticized official policies and, on the other, urged people to unite.
• It also aided in the spread of modern concepts such as self-government, democracy, civil rights, and industrialization.
• Newspapers, journals, pamphlets, and nationalist literature facilitated the exchange of political ideas between nationalist leaders from various regions.

Historical Past

• Historical research by European scholars such as Max Mueller, Monier Williams, Roth, and Sassoon, as well as Indian scholars such as R.G. Bhandarkar, R.L. Mitra, and later Swami Vivekananda, produced a completely different picture of India's past.
• This picture was defined by well-developed political, economic, and social institutions, thriving trade with the rest of the world, a rich heritage in arts and culture, and a plethora of cities.

Socio-religious Reform Movements

• These reform movements sought to eliminate social ills that divided Indian society.
• It also had the effect of bringing different sections of Indian society together and proved to be an important factor in the growth of Indian nationalism.

Rise of Middle Class Intelligentsia

• Administrative and economic innovations in the United Kingdom gave rise to a new urban middle class in towns.
• The new middle class was an all-India class with diverse backgrounds but a common foreground of knowledge, ideas, and values.
• This class rose to prominence as a result of its education, new position, and close ties with the ruling class.
• This class provided leadership to the Indian National Congress at all stages of its development.

Global Impact of Contemporary Movements

• The rise of a number of nations in South America on the ruins of the Spanish and Portuguese empires, as well as the national liberation movements of Greece and Italy in general, and Ireland in particular, profoundly influenced the nationalist.

Reactionary Policies and Racial Arrogance

• The British sought to perpetuate racial myths of white superiority through a deliberate policy of discrimination and segregation. This caused a great deal of pain among Indians.
• Lytton's reactionary policies, such as lowering the maximum age limit for the I.C.S. examination from 21 to 19 years (1876), holding the grand Delhi Durbar in 1877 while the country was in the grip of famine, passing the Vernacular Press Act (1878), and passing the Arms Act (1878), sparked outrage in the country.
• It became clear to the nationalists that when the interests of the European community were at stake, justice and fair play could not be expected.
• The organized agitation by Europeans to repeal the Ilbert Bill, on the other hand, taught nationalists how to agitate for their rights and demands.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Causes that helped the Rise of Indian nationalism

Evaluation of Early Nationalists

Even though they were unable to attract the masses, the early nationalists dida lot to awaken national sentiment.

• They represented the most progressive forces in the country at the time.
• They were able to create a widespread national awakening of all Indians who shared common interests and the need to unite behind a common cause against a common foe, and above all, a sense of belonging to one nation.
• They educated people about politics and popularized modern ideas.
• They exposed colonial rule's fundamentally exploitative nature, undermining its moral foundations.
• Their political work was founded on hard realities rather than shallow sentiments, religion, and so on.
• They were successful in establishing the fundamental political truth that India should be governed in the interests of Indians.
• They laid the groundwork for a more vigorous, militant, mass-based national movement to emerge in the years that followed.
• They did not, however, broaden their democratic base or the scope of their demands.

Political Associations Before Indian National Congress

In the early half of the nineteenth century, wealthy and aristocratic elements dominated most political associations. Most of them demanded administrative reforms, Indians' inclusion in administration, and the expansion of education through lengthy petitions to the British Parliament. The educated middle class—lawyers, journalists, doctors, teachers, and so on—became increasingly dominant in the political associations of the second half of the nineteenth century, and they had a broader perspective and a larger agenda.

Political Associations in Bengal

• Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha founded in 1836.
• Zamindari Association, also known as the Landholders' Society was founded in 1838.
• Bengal British India Society (1843) - Founded for the purpose of collecting and disseminating information about the actual condition of the people of British India.
• British Indian Association (1851) - demanded that some of its suggestions, such as the establishment of a separate legislature of a popular character, the separation of executive and judicial functions, the reduction of higher officer salaries, and the abolition of salt, abkari, and stamp duties, be included in the Company's renewed Charter.
  • These were partially accepted in the 1853 Charter Act.
• Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East India Association in London in 1866 to discuss the Indian question and persuade public men in England to promote Indian welfare.
• Sisir Kumar Ghosh founded the Indian League in 1875 with the goal of "stimulating the sense of nationalism among the people."
• Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose founded the Indian Association of Calcutta or Indian National Association in 1876.

Political Associations in Bombay

• Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (1870) – Acted as a link between the government and the people.
• Bombay Presidency Association (1885) was founded by Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozshah Mehta, and K.T. Telang.

Political Associations in Madras

Madras Mahajan Sabha (1884) was founded by M.Viraraghavachari, B.Subramania Aiyer, and P. Anandacharlu.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Political Association before Indian National Congress

Pre Congress Campaigns

Before the Indian National Congress arrived on the scene, the associations organized various campaigns. These campaigns were:

• for the imposition of import duty on cotton (1875)
• for the Indianisation of government service (1878-79)
• against Lytton's Afghan adventure, against the Arms Act (1878)
• against the Vernacular Press Act (1878)
• for the right to join volunteer corps
• against plantation labor
• against the Inland Emigration Act
• in support of the Ilbert Bill
• for an All India Fund for Political Agitation
• for the right to vote for a pro-India party
• The Indian Association took up the issue of lowering the maximum age for appearing in the Indian Civil Service and organized an all-India agitation against it, popularly known as the Indian Civil Service agitation.

Conclusion

In the first half of the twentieth century, growing resentment of the Colonial Government united various groups and classes of Indians in a common struggle for freedom. However, the varying expectations of various groups pose a constant threat to unity. The Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, attempted to channel people's sufferings into an organized and united movement for independence.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which event is often considered the starting point of modern nationalism in India?

A) Revolt of 1857
B) Formation of Indian National Congress
C) Partition of Bengal
D) Swadeshi Movement

2. Which of the following was a major factor that contributed to the rise of nationalism in India?

A) British economic policies
B) Industrialization
C) Decline of the Mughal Empire
D) Introduction of printing press

3. What role did the socio-religious reform movements play in Indian nationalism?

A) They opposed the British directly
B) They promoted Westernization
C) They aimed at eliminating social evils and uniting Indians
D) They sought to ally with British interests

4. Which of the following global events influenced Indian nationalists?

A) French Revolution
B) Industrial Revolution
C) Glorious Revolution
D) American Civil War

5. Who is considered the father of modern Indian nationalism?

A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
C) Dadabhai Naoroji
D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

GS Mains Questions and Answers

Q1: Discuss the factors that contributed to the rise of modern nationalism in India.

Answer: Several factors contributed to the rise of modern nationalism in India. British colonial policies, such as economic exploitation and racial discrimination, fostered resentment among Indians. The introduction of Western education and ideas of democracy, liberty, and equality further encouraged Indians to demand political rights. Global events, like the American and French revolutions, inspired Indian intellectuals. Socio-religious reform movements also played a crucial role in uniting Indians and promoting a sense of cultural pride. The formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 provided a platform for Indians to express their grievances and fight for independence.

Q2: Evaluate the role of the Indian National Congress in the early phase of Indian nationalism.

Answer: The Indian National Congress, formed in 1885, played a pivotal role in the early phase of Indian nationalism. Initially, it served as a forum for educated Indians to discuss political and social issues. Over time, the Congress evolved into the primary organization advocating for Indian self-rule. Through petitions, resolutions, and negotiations with the British, the Congress sought to address the grievances of Indians. The Congress also promoted unity among Indians across regions, languages, and religions, laying the foundation for the broader nationalist movement that would eventually lead to India's independence.

Q3: How did Western education contribute to the rise of nationalism in India?

Answer: Western education played a significant role in the rise of nationalism in India. It exposed Indians to the ideas of democracy, liberty, and human rights. Educated Indians, inspired by Western political thought, began to question British colonial rule and demand self-governance. The spread of English as a common language also helped in uniting Indians from different regions, enabling them to communicate and collaborate in the nationalist movement. Moreover, Western education created a class of intellectuals who could articulate the demands of the Indian people and lead the struggle for independence.

Previous Year Questions on Nationalism

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018:

Question: Who among the following played a key role in the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885?

A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
B) A.O. Hume
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) Subhas Chandra Bose

Answer: B

Explanation: A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, played a key role in the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 to provide a platform for Indians to express their grievances and demand reforms.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2020 (GS Paper 1):

Question: Discuss the role of socio-religious reform movements in the development of Indian nationalism.

Answer: Socio-religious reform movements like Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, and the Aligarh Movement played a significant role in developing Indian nationalism. These movements sought to eliminate social evils such as caste discrimination, sati, and child marriage, fostering unity among Indians. By promoting pride in Indian culture and traditions, these movements strengthened the nationalist cause. Reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Swami Dayanand Saraswati emphasized the importance of education and self-reliance, which helped build the intellectual foundation of Indian nationalism.