On April 6, 1930, M.K. Gandhi formally launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by picking a handful of salt after completing the historic 'Dandi March' from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, thus violating the government's salt law. He was a driving force behind the movement, inspiring grassroots participation in the liberation struggle. The Civil Disobedience Movement spread across the country as a result of the defiance of the salt law. Salt production spread across the country during the first phase of the civil disobedience movement, and it became a symbol of the people's defiance of the government. In this article, we will discuss the Civil Disobedience Movement which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Civil Disobedience Movement

Civil Disobedience Movement - Background

• To carry out the mandate given by the Lahore Congress, Gandhi presented the government with 11 demands and gave a deadline of January 31, 1930 to accept or reject these demands.
• With no positive response from the government to these demands, Gandhi was given full authority to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement at a time and place of his choosing by the Congress Working Committee.
• By the end of February, Gandhi had decided to make salt the movement's central formula.
• The celebration of Independence Day in 1930 was followed by the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Gandhi.
• It all started with Gandhi's famous Dandi March. On March 12, 1930, Gandhi set out on foot from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad with 78 other Ashram members for Dandi, a village on India's western seacoast about 385 kilometres from Ahmedabad.
• They arrived in Dandi on April 6, 1930. Gandhi broke the salt law there. Because salt was a government monopoly, it was illegal for anyone to produce it.
• Gandhi defied the government by picking up a handful of salt that had formed as a result of sea evaporation.

Civil Disobedience Movement - Features

• This was the first nationwide movement, as all previous ones had been restricted to cities.
• People in rural areas could also register to participate.
• The event drew a large number of female participants.
• The satyagraha movement was led by well-known women such as Kasturba Gandhi, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Avantikabai Gokhale, Lilavati Munshi, and Hansaben Mehta.
• Nonviolence was the movement's motto.
• Despite constant British repression, this movement persisted.

Civil Disobedience Movement - Causes

• The unrest in social and political situations aided in the formation of the civil disobedience movement.
• Simon commission, which was formed by the British government in 1927 to formalise India's constitution and was entirely composed of British members, was rejected by the Indian National Congress and other political and social organisations and was dubbed the all white commission.
• In 1928, a new constitution was drafted in Calcutta by a committee led by Motilal Nehru. The INC demanded that the British government accept Nehru’s Report in 1928.
• The main theme of the report was to give India Dominion Status. It warned and blackmailed the British government that if they did not accept the report, they would be threatened and a civil disobedience movement would be launched.
• The main goal of the constitutional reform, according to the Governor General of India, Lord Irwin, was to Grant India dominion status.
• Following the declaration, Gandhi and other leaders proposed a round table conference to resolve the constitutional crisis, and when the British government did not respond positively to any of their demands, the civil disobedience movement was launched.

Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha)

• For a long time, Mahatma Gandhi was planning a mass movement along the lines of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• He was looking for a symbol around which the entire movement could be centred and he hit upon the idea of salt as a tax on salt, in his opinion, was the most oppressive form of tax which humankind could devise since salt was a basic necessity of human existence, just like air and water.
• As a result, breaking salt laws would be the most appropriate way to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• The Dandi March began on March 12, 1930, from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat to the coastal village of Dandi, a distance of approximately 390 kilometres. Gandhi and 78 followers set out on foot for Dandi.
• They travelled from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in 25 days and arrived on the Dandi coast on April 6, 1930, where Gandhi broke the salt laws and launched the mass Civil Disobedience Movement by picking up a handful of salt.
• Sarojini Naidu was one of the leaders who travelled with Mahatma Gandhi on the Dandi March.

Spread of Civil Disobedience Movement

• After Gandhi's ritual at Dandi paved the way, defiance of the salt laws spread throughout the country.
• Nehru's arrest in April 1930 for violating the salt law sparked massive protests in Madras, Calcutta, and Karachi. Gandhi was arrested on May 4, 1930, after announcing that he would lead a raid on the Dharasana Salt Works on India's west coast.
• Following Gandhi's arrest, there were massive protests in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, and Sholapur, where the response was the most ferocious.
• Following Gandhi's arrest, the CWC sanctioned the following actions:
  • non-payment of revenue in ryotwari areas;
  • a no-chowkidari-tax campaign in zamindari areas; and
  • a violation of forest laws in the Central Provinces.
• Students, women, tribals, merchants and petty traders, workers and peasants from all walks of life were all involved in the CDM.
• Salt laws were also flouted in a number of provinces, with varying degrees of success.
• C Rajagopalachari led the Salt Satyagraha in Tamil Nadu, K Kelappan in Malabar, and Sarojini Naidu and Manilal Gandhi in Dharasana Salt Works (Gujarat).
• The defiance of salt laws at Dharasana salt works was notable for its scale, with a group of 2000 volunteers offering nonviolent resistance in the face of a large police force armed with steel-tipped lathis, which attacked non-resisting Satyagrahis (protestors) until they fell down.
• The Gandhi-Irwin agreement effectively ended the civil disobedience movement. It was signed on March 5, 1931, by Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then-Viceroy of India.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Satyagraha at Different Places

Civil Disobedience Movement - Impact

• The civil disobedience movement had a far-reaching impact. It instilled distrust in the British government and laid the groundwork for the freedom struggle, as well as popularising new methods of propaganda such as the Prabhat, pheris, pamphlets, and so on.
• Following forest law defiance in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Central Province, as well as refusal to pay the rural 'Chaukidari tax' in Eastern India, the government abolished the oppressive salt tax.
• Foreign imports of clothing and cigarettes were cut in half. Government revenue from land revenue and liquor excise were also reduced.
• Women and students participated in large numbers in the movement, which was a liberating experience for Indian women who were entering public space in such large numbers for the first time.

Civil Disobedience Movement - Drawbacks

• Muslims were less likely to participate as a result of the advice of communal leaders and the government's efforts to promote communalism as a response to nationalism.
• Except in Nagpur, industrial workers did not participate in large numbers.

Civil Disobedience Movement - Government Response

• Throughout 1930, the government's attitude was ambivalent, as it was puzzled and perplexed.
• It faced the classic dilemma where if force was used, the Congress cried 'repression,' while if little action was taken, the Congress cried 'victory. In either case, the government's power was eroded.
• Gandhi's arrest, too, came after much deliberation. However, once the repression began, the ordinances prohibiting civil liberties were freely used, including the gagging of the press.
• Provincial governments now have the authority to prohibit civil disobedience organisations. However, the Congress Working Committee was not declared illegal until June.
• There were lathi-charges and firing on unarmed crowds, which resulted in several deaths and injuries, and thousands of satyagrahis, in addition to Gandhi and other Congress leaders, were imprisoned.
• Lord Irwin, the viceroy, proposed a round table conference in July 1930 and reiterated the goal of dominion status.
• He also agreed to allow Tej Bahadur Sapru and M.R. Jayakar to investigate the possibility of peace between the Congress and the government.
• Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru were taken to Yerawada Jail in August 1930 to meet Gandhi and discuss the possibility of a settlement.
• The demands of the Nehrus and Gandhi were unequivocal:
  • the right to secede from Britain;
  • complete national government with control over defence and finance; and
  • an independent tribunal to settle Britain's financial claims.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)

• On March 5, 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, India's then-viceroy, signed the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
• The agreement was signed just before the second round table conference in London began.
• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact, also known as the Delhi Pact, equalised the Congress and the government.
• To lay the groundwork for the Round Table Conference to be held in England, Mahatma Gandhi held fortnight-long talks with Viceroy Lord Irwin, which culminated in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, signed by Gandhi on behalf of the Congress and Lord Irwin on behalf of the British India government.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)

Civil Disobedience Movement - Evaluation

• Gandhi's decision to suspend the civil disobedience movement, as agreed under the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, was not a retreat because:
  • mass movements are inherently short-lived;
  • the capacity of the masses to make sacrifices, unlike activists, is limited;
  • there were signs of exhaustion after September 1930, particularly among shopkeepers and merchants who had participated so enthusiastically.
• Youth were undoubtedly disappointed because they had participated enthusiastically and expected the world to end with a bang rather than a whimper.
• Gujarati peasants were dissatisfied because their lands were not immediately restored (in fact, they were restored only during the province's Congress ministry's rule).
• However, many people were overjoyed that the government had been forced to recognise their movement as significant, treat their leader as an equal, and sign a pact with him.
• When political prisoners were released from prison, they were greeted as heroes.

Strategic Debates

• There was a two-stage debate on the nationalists' future strategy: first, what course the national movement should take in the immediate future, i.e., during the non-mass struggle (1934-35).
• Second, in 1937, over the issue of office acceptance in the context of provincial elections held under the autonomy provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935.

• At this point, two points of view were presented.
  • On Gandhian lines, there should be constructive work. There should be constitutional debate and participation in Central Legislative elections (due in 1934).
  • A strong leftist trend within the Congress, represented by Nehru, was critical of both constructive work and council entry in place of the suspended civil disobedience movement, arguing that this would sidetrack political mass action and divert attention away from the main issue of colonial resistance.
  • Instead, this section advocated for the resumption and continuation of non-constitutionalist mass struggle, arguing that the situation was still revolutionary due to the ongoing economic crisis and the masses' willingness to fight.

Conclusion

The movement was disbanded in 1934. In 1934, Congress passed an important resolution. It demanded the formation of a constituent assembly, which would be elected by the people using the adult franchise. Only such an assembly, it declared, could draft a constitution for India. As a result, it claimed that only the people had the right to choose the form of government under which they would live. Though the congress failed to achieve its goal, it was successful in mobilising large sections of the population in the country's second great mass struggle. It had also set forth radical goals for the transformation of Indian society.

FAQs

MCQs

1. The Civil Disobedience Movement was launched in which year?

A. 1919
B. 1920
C. 1930
D. 1942

2. What was the primary aim of the Dandi March?

A. To demand independence from British rule
B. To protest the salt tax imposed by the British
C. To boycott foreign education
D. To oppose land revenue taxes

3. Which of the following agreements led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1931?

A. Lucknow Pact
B. Poona Pact
C. Gandhi-Irwin Pact
D. Simon Commission

4. How did the British respond to the Civil Disobedience Movement?

A. By granting immediate independence
B. By launching severe repression and arresting leaders
C. By accepting all demands of the movement
D. By introducing social reforms

5. What was the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

A. They did not participate actively
B. They led the movement
C. They participated in protests and defied the salt laws
D. They only provided moral support

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Analyze the significance of the Dandi March in the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer: The Dandi March was a pivotal event in the Civil Disobedience Movement, marking the beginning of the mass defiance against British laws. By breaking the salt law, Gandhi aimed to mobilize the Indian masses against the unjust colonial economic policies. The march inspired widespread participation across the country, as people began to boycott foreign goods, refuse to pay taxes, and resign from government services. The Dandi March symbolized the unity of India in its struggle for independence and reinforced the idea of non-violent resistance.

Q2: Discuss the impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement on different sections of Indian society.

Answer: The Civil Disobedience Movement had a profound impact on various sections of Indian society. It saw the participation of peasants, who refused to pay land revenue; tribals, who protested forest laws; and women, who played an active role in protests and picketing. The movement also galvanized students and the urban middle class to join the struggle for independence. The widespread support highlighted the nationalistic fervor across diverse communities, although the movement faced some challenges, such as limited participation from industrial workers and lower caste groups.

Q3: Evaluate the outcomes of the Civil Disobedience Movement in terms of its achievements and limitations.

Answer: The Civil Disobedience Movement succeeded in mobilizing large sections of the population, challenging the legitimacy of British rule, and highlighting the economic exploitation of Indians. It increased national consciousness, leading to a more organized demand for independence.
However, the movement had limitations, as it failed to secure immediate concessions from the British and did not gain widespread support from some sections, such as the Muslim League and Dalits. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact temporarily halted the movement, and the British repression further weakened its momentum by 1934.

Previous Year Questions from Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34)

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

Question: Which event marked the formal beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
A. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
B. Simon Commission
C. Dandi March
D. Quit India Movement

Answer: C

Explanation: The Dandi March marked the formal beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, where Mahatma Gandhi and his followers marched to the coastal village of Dandi to break the salt law imposed by the British.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2018 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Discuss the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement and how it contributed to their involvement in India’s freedom struggle.

Explanation: The Civil Disobedience Movement witnessed significant participation from women, who joined protests, picketed foreign goods, and defied British laws, particularly the salt laws. Women like Sarojini Naidu and thousands of others actively participated in the movement, challenging traditional gender roles and asserting their place in the freedom struggle.
The movement marked a turning point in the involvement of women in India’s freedom struggle, as it provided them with a platform to engage in political activism and contribute to the national cause. Their participation not only strengthened the movement but also laid the foundation for their continued involvement in public life and politics.