For over a century, the British exploited the Indian masses, breeding hatred and animosity toward them. The introduction of western education opened the eyes of Indians to the British Raj's colonial rule. 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. This article discusses the main causes that helped in the Rise of Indian Nationalism which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Factors Responsible For Rise Of Indian Nationalism

People United Politically Under the British Rule

• People became politically unified under British hegemony.
• There was one rule, one administrative framework, one set of laws, and one set of administrative officers that unified people politically.
• People became aware that vast India belonged to them, instilling a sense of nationalism in them.

Communication and Transportation Advancements

• Lord Dalhousie made a lasting contribution to Indians by introducing railways, telegraphs, and a new postal system. Roads were built from one end of the country to the other.
• Despite the fact that all of this was intended to serve imperial interests, the people of India capitalized on it. The train compartment mirrored a united India.
• It bridged the gap between them and gave them the sense that they all belonged to this vast India under the control of the British Raj.

Influence of Western Education

• The introduction of English education in 1835 marked a watershed moment in British administration.
• Its primary goal was to educate the Indian masses so that they would be loyal servants of the British Raj.
• However, as time passed, English-educated Indians became forerunners in India's sociopolitical, economic, and religious reforms.
• Raja Rammohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, Ferozeshah Mehta, Dadabhai Naoroji, and Surendranath Banerjee all fought for liberty, equality, and humanitarianism.
• English-educated Indians gradually became the torchbearers of Indian nationalism, instilling national consciousness in the minds of millions of Indians.

India's glorious past

• Several avenues in the field of oriental studies were opened up by the nineteenth-century Indian Renaissance.
• Western scholars such as Max Muller, Sir William Jones, Alexander Cunningham, and others translated several ancient Sanskrit texts from this land, establishing the glorious cultural heritage of India before the people.
• Indian scholars such as R.D. Banerjee and R.G. Bhandarkar was inspired by them. Mahan Mukhopadhyaya, Hara Prasad Astir, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and others rediscovered India's past glory from its history.
• This encouraged the people of India, who felt they were the ancestors of this country's grand monarchs and were being ruled by foreigners. This fanned the flames of nationalism.

Movements for Socio-Religious Reform

• In the nineteenth century, the socio-religious reform movements led by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Annie Besant, Syed Ahmad Khan, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and Vivekananda brought about a national awakening in India.
• The abolition of sati and the introduction of widow remarriage resulted in social reforms in India.
• Indians gained an understanding of the concepts of liberty, equality, freedom, and social disparities.
• This reawakened the people's minds and instilled in them a sense of nationalism.

Growth of Vernacular Literature

• The influence of western education compelled educated Indians to express the concepts of liberty, freedom, and nationalism through vernacular literature.
• They aimed to incite the masses to oppose British rule by instilling a sense of nationalism in them.
• Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Anand Math and Dinabandhu Metra's play Nil Darpan wielded enormous power over the people and instilled anti-British feelings in them.
• The play Baraga Purdahs by Bharatendu Harishchandra reflected the plight of the Indian masses under British rule.
• Aside from several eminent poets and writers in various languages, such as Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali, Vishnu Shari Chipulunkar in Marathi, Laminate Bazbarua in Assamese, Mohammad Husain Azad and Altar Husain Ali in Urdu, their writings helped to rouse nationalism among the local people.

Role of Press

• Newspapers and magazines were critical in instilling a sense of nationalism in Indians.
• Raja Rammohan Roy edited Persian journals such as 'Mirat-ul-Akhbar' and the Bengali newspaper 'Sambad Kaimiudi.'
• Similarly, several newspapers, such as Hindu Patriot, Bangalee, Amrit bazar patrika, Sudharani, Sanjivani in Bengali; Indu Prakash in Maharashtra, Native Opinion, Kesari, Koh-i-Noor, Akhbar-i-Am and 'The Tribune' in Punjab, reflected British rule and aroused feelings of nationalism among people.

The First War of Independence's Memory

• The memory of the Revolt of 1857 instilled in the Indians a sense of nationalism.
• After becoming aware of the British's bad intentions, the heroic roles of Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb, Tayta Tope, and other leaders became fresh in the minds of the people.
• This instilled in the people a desire to fight the British.

The Ilbert Bill Controversy

• The Ilbert Bill was passed during Lord Ripon's tenure as Viceroy. It gave Indian judges the authority to try the Europeans.
• It sparked outrage among Europeans, who pushed for a change in the bill, including a provision requiring an Indian to try a European in the presence of a European witness.
• This clearly exposed the British authorities' deception and projected their racial animosity.

Antagonism Between Races

• The British considered themselves superior to Indians and never offered them good jobs regardless of their merits or intelligence.
• The Indian Civil Service examination was held in England, and the age limit was 21.
• Aurobindo Ghosh passed the written exam but was disqualified from horseback riding and did not pass the ICS exams. The British purposefully disqualified them.
• They believed that Indians were brown and unfit to rule, and that it was the white men's responsibility to rule them. This inflamed people's resentment of British rule.

Economic Exploitation

• Britishers economically exploited India by draining wealth from India to Britain, as expressed in Dada Bhai Naoroji's 'Drain Theory.'
• Following the Industrial Revolution in England, the British needed raw materials and markets, which were met by draining the raw materials of India and using Indian markets.
• The landlords, guided by Britshers, exploited the Indian masses and further exploited the Indian economy.
• The 'Drain Theory' of Dadabhai Naoroji, Ranade, and G.V.Joshi raised awareness about the exploitation of Indian handicrafts, which mirrored the exploitative nature of Britishers toward the Indian economy.
• This ruined India's factories, handicrafts, and economy, leaving the Indian people impoverished and filled with resentment toward the British.

Formation of Indian National Congress

• The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. It expressed the Indian people's desire in front of the British.
• The mass movements and leaders played an important role in the development of people's national consciousness.
• The Indian National Congress enabled the Indians to wage ideological battles against the British, resulting in India's independence.
• Moderates such as Dada Bhai Naoroji and S.N. Banerjee, as well as extremists such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai, all played important roles in instilling a sense of nationalism in Indians.

Bengal's Partition (1905)

• Lord Curzon, the British viceroy, was in charge of partitioning Bengal in 1905.
• Since 1765, Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa had been united as a single province of British India.
• By 1900, the province had grown too large for a single administration to handle. East Bengal had been overlooked in favour of West Bengal and Bihar due to its isolation and poor communication.
• Partition was opposed by the Hindus of West Bengal, who controlled the majority of Bengal's commerce, professional, and rural life. They saw the partition as an attempt to suffocate nationalism in Bengal, where it was stronger than elsewhere.
• The Indian National Congress was transformed from a middle-class pressure group into a nationwide mass movement as a result of this.

Bengal's Swadeshi Movement

• The Swadeshi Movement arose from Bengal's anti-partition movement.
• The decision escalated the protest meeting, resulting in the passage of a Boycott resolution in a massive meeting held in Calcutta Town Hall, as well as the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement.
• The extremists dominated the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal. They proposed new forms of struggle. The movement primarily advocated a boycott of foreign goods, as well as mass mobilization through public meetings and procession.
• Self-sufficiency, or 'Atma Shakti,' as well as Swadeshi education and enterprise, were emphasized.
• Several samities remained active to ensure mass participation, and songs written by Rabindranath Tagore, Rajanikanta Sen, Dwijendralal Ray, Mukunda Das, and others inspired the masses in the cultural sphere.
• Soon after, the movement spread to other parts of the country, with Tilak leading in Pune and Bombay, Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh leading in Punjab, Syed Haider Raza leading in Delhi, and Chaidamabaram Pillai leading in Madras.

Conclusion

The drain of Indian wealth, the stagnation of local industries due to British made goods, the oppression of the masses, high taxation on Indian goods, high taxation on peasants, oppressive laws such as the Rowlatt act, and so on all paved the way for the rise of nationalism as people became aware of the imperialistic ideas of foreign rule through their capable leadership. Understanding the contradictions in Indian and colonial interest, Political Administration, Economic Unification, Western Thought, Role of Press etc were the main factors responsible for the growth of Modern Nationalism.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which of the following was a major economic factor behind the rise of Indian nationalism?

A. The Zamindari system
B. The Drain of Wealth
C. Industrialization
D. Promotion of agriculture

2. Which social reform movement played a key role in the development of Indian nationalism?

A. Brahmo Samaj
B. Theosophical Society
C. Young Bengal Movement
D. Sanatan Dharma Sabha

3. The Indian National Congress was founded in which year?

A. 1875
B. 1885
C. 1905
D. 1915

4. How did Western education influence the nationalist movement in India?

A. It promoted British customs
B. It led to the development of a middle class
C. It exposed Indians to democratic ideals
D. It discouraged nationalist sentiments

5. Which global event significantly influenced the rise of Indian nationalism?

A. The Second World War
B. The Russian Revolution
C. The Great Depression
D. The Cold War

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the role of economic factors in the rise of Indian nationalism in the late 19th century.

Answer: Economic factors played a crucial role in the rise of Indian nationalism in the late 19th century. The Drain of Wealth from India to Britain led to the impoverishment of the Indian population. British economic policies, such as high taxation, exploitation of Indian resources, and promotion of cash crops over food grains, worsened the economic condition of the people. Additionally, the industrialization of Britain at the cost of Indian industries, particularly the textile industry, created widespread unemployment and poverty. These economic grievances united Indians across regions and classes, contributing to the growing demand for self-rule and independence.

Q2: Analyze the role of social reform movements in promoting Indian nationalism.

Answer: Social reform movements such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, and Prarthana Samaj played a significant role in promoting Indian nationalism. These movements sought to reform oppressive social practices like sati, caste discrimination, and child marriage, while advocating for the revival of Indian cultural and religious traditions. By promoting education, women’s rights, and social equality, these movements fostered a sense of national unity. The social reformers' efforts to create a just and egalitarian society aligned with the broader goals of the nationalist movement, which sought to liberate India from British colonial rule and restore its dignity.

Q3: How did global events influence the rise of Indian nationalism in the early 20th century?

Answer: Global events such as the First World War and the Russian Revolution significantly influenced the rise of Indian nationalism. The First World War caused widespread economic hardship in India, leading to rising discontent with British rule. Indian soldiers who fought in the war returned home with a new sense of political awareness and demand for rights. The success of the Russian Revolution in 1917 demonstrated the power of mass movements to overthrow oppressive regimes, inspiring Indian nationalists to intensify their efforts. Additionally, the global wave of decolonization further fueled the Indian demand for self-determination and independence.

Previous Year Questions on Causes of the Rise of Indian Nationalism

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

Question: Which of the following was a key factor in the rise of Indian nationalism?
A. Promotion of English language
B. Industrial growth in India
C. Exploitation under British economic policies
D. Emergence of regional kingdoms

Answer: C

Explanation: The exploitation under British economic policies, such as the Drain of Wealth, contributed to widespread discontent and played a significant role in the rise of Indian nationalism.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Discuss how social reform movements in the 19th century contributed to the rise of Indian nationalism.

Explanation: The social reform movements of the 19th century, such as the Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj, contributed to the rise of Indian nationalism by promoting social and religious reforms that challenged oppressive practices. These movements aimed to revive Indian cultural identity and create a more just and egalitarian society. They emphasized education, women's rights, and the need for unity among Indians. These reformers helped foster a sense of national consciousness that transcended regional and religious divides, laying the groundwork for the nationalist movement that would later culminate in India's independence.