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The Nationalist Movement in India was the outcome of a large number of factors and the most important among them was British Imperialism. It was during the British rule that the whole of India was conquered and brought under one sovereign authority. The domination by any country over the whole of India enabled the people of India to think and act as one nation. Before the coming of the British in India, the people of the South were usually separated from the rest of India except for short intervals. British Imperialism helped the unification of the country.
British rule brought the entire geographical area of the country under a single administration. It unified the country by introducing a uniform system of law and government. The introduction of the modern methods of transport and communication also produced the same unifying effect.
The improvements in the means of transport and communication also quickened the pace of the nationalist movement in the country. It is said that but for railways, motor buses and other modern means of communication, political and cultural life on a national scale would not have been possible. It can be said that if these became the means of consolidating and preserving British rule in India, they also played their part in organising the political movement of the Indian people on a national scale against their rule.
The English language played an important part in the growth of nationalism in the country. It acted as the lingua franca of the intelligentsia of India. Without the common medium of the English language it would have been impossible for the Bengalees, Madrasis and the Punjabis to sit at one table and discuss the common problems facing the country. The English language also made the Indians inheritors of a great literature which was full of great ideas and ideals.
The Indian press, both English and vernacular also aroused national consciousness. Great was the influence of the news papers like the Amrit Bazar Patrika, the Hindu, the Kesari, the Bengalee, the Hurkura and a lot more. The growth of Indian Press was phenomenal and by 1875, there were no less than 478 newspapers in the country. The Indian press helped in mobilizing the public opinion, convening national and provincial conferences, organising political movements, building up public institutions and fighting out public controversies. There was no issue of foreign policy or internal administration which escaped the notice of the news papers.
The writings of Dinabandhu Mitra, Hem Chandra Banerjee, Nabin Chandra Sen, Romesh Chunder Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, Dwijendralal Roy, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee had also affected the minds of the people of India. All these writings affected the higher sentiments of the people. Rather it can be said that the writings of these writers helped the people of India to realise the national fervour and as a result they got united and tried to oust the British people from India.
There were many British officials and writers who put forward the thesis that the Indians had always been backward and they did not know the art of governing themselves. They also maintained that the Indians were destined to be ruled by others and there was no future hope of a free India.
The religious and social reformers like Ram Mohan Roy, Keshab Chandra Sen, Debendranath Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda and others inculcated a spirit of confidence, courage, self-respect and pride in the ancient heritage of India. It is contended that political awakening in India began with Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
The intelligentsia played a creative role in the rise of nationalism in the country. It is they who recognised the fact that the establishment of the British power in India marked a break with the past and the beginning of a new historical era. Their initial response to the British rule was positive but with passing time they got disillusioned.
History says that there was lot of discontentment in the country on account of many reasons. There was the economic exploitation of the people. The revenue charged by the government was more than what the people could afford to pay. The demands of the government continued to increase unmindful of the condition of the people and their capacity to pay.
The nationalist movement which rose in the minds of the people made them realise that they had no hope any fair play on the part of the Englishmen because a lot of self interests of the English people were involved in it.
Rise of Extremism in India
The workings of the Congress led to a discontentment in the minds of people. The feeling gets blazed out with the comments of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, as he described the Congressman "place-hunting politicians". From the writings of prolific persona like Aurobindo Ghosh the clear picture of such scenario comes out. To him the Congress was `dying of consumption`. Some causes have been pointed out that are thought to be resulted into the rise of Extremism.
1. True nature of the British Raj ---- The extensive and rigorous studies of the Nationalist leaders like, Ananda Charlu, R.N. Mudholkar, D.E. Wacha, G.K. Gokhle, Madan Mohan Malaviya debunked the true nature of British rule in India in terms of economy, politics, various policies etc. Their studies exposed the exploitative nature of British Raj. R.C Dutta and G.V. Joshi had also attempted to show the exploitative nature of British Land Revenue policy. The conspicuous disparity between the avowed aims and practiced policy in cases of recruitment to public service has been exposed with the studies of S.N. Banerjee. Even at the second session of the Congress held in Calcutta in the year 1886, a resolution was taken to control all the disparity. But the resolution was affirmed year after year without proper application. All this resulted naturally into Extremist ideology.
2. Increasing Westernization ---- Westernization started influencing Indian life, thought as well as politics. Indian religion, thought, culture and civilization started facing real challenge from Christianity, utilitarianism and Western civilization. Another attempt was also taken to coalesce Indian national identity into the British Empire. But though their writings Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vivekananda and Swami Dayananda attempted to appeal to the people of India. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee through his works in Bengali tried to incorporate the mantra `Service to the Motherland` into the minds of people. A feeling of self-confidence has been injected to the youth by a great Vedantist Vivekananda. Swami Dayananda blows up a new mission to conquer the West with the Indian Spirituality. Dayananda played an important role in building a new confidence within Hindus with his notions and political message `India for the Indians`.
3. Dissatisfaction rose with the achievement of the Congress ---- The younger members of the Congress were discontented with the cold and reactional attitude of the government. The younger generations of Congressman also known as Nationalist or Extremists were disgusted for the old one. The methods of peaceful and constitutional agitation known as 3 Ps - petition, prayer and protest faced savior criticism from the young members. These three methods were described as `political mendicancy` by them. Instead of these slow, negligible achievements they were in favor of adopting the rapid European revolutionary methods to contest the European imperialism. The visit of Lala Lajpat Rai to England also gave light on the real picture of British democracy. His message to the countrymen was, `they would have to strike a blow for freedom themselves, and they should be prepared to give unmistakable proof of their earnestness`.
4. The economic Scenario of India ---- During the British Raj, the economic condition of India was miserably deteriorating, which ultimately resulted into the growth of extremism. Additionally famines of 1896-97 and 1899-1900, bubonic plague in Maharashtra took a grievous toll of life. Government however failed to control the situations. In the Deccan, riots broke out. All these events led to the utter helplessness of the Indians.
5. International influence ---- Nationalist movements in Egypt, Persia, Turkey, Russia; humiliating treatment to the Indians in British Colonies in South Africa influenced the younger Indian generation. Abyssinia`s repulsion of the Italian Army and Japan`s thumping victory over Russia gained Indian nationalists more confidence to revolt against the British Empire.
6. Reactionary Policies of Lord Curzon`s ---- Lord Curzon during his seven years rule in India however managed to create a strong reaction in the minds of Indian people. The Calcutta Corporation Act, the official Secrets Act and the Indian Universities Act were the acts constituted by Curzon, which resulted into great bitterness in India.
7. The Partition of Bengal ---- The partition of Bengal has been considered as one of the most hated aspect of Curzon`s administration.
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