The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 | Class 8 Social Science Notes

The Growth of Mass Nationalism

The period following World War I marked a significant shift in the Indian national movement from elite-led petitions to a mass-based struggle involving peasants, tribals, workers, students, women, and business groups. The war had a profound impact on India’s political and economic landscape. The British government increased defense expenditure, leading to higher taxes on incomes and business profits. Inflation and price rises caused hardships for the common people, while Indian industries expanded due to increased demand for war supplies and reduced imports.

The British also expanded the army, pressuring villages to supply soldiers for overseas campaigns. Many Indian soldiers returned with new ideas about imperialism and colonial exploitation, fueling nationalist sentiments. The 1917 Russian Revolution inspired Indian nationalists with ideas of socialism and workers’ rights.

Amidst these changes, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a mass leader. Returning to India in 1915 after leading non-violent campaigns in South Africa, Gandhi spent his first year traveling across India to understand the people's conditions. His early interventions included leading a successful mill workers’ strike in Ahmedabad in 1918 and supporting local movements in Champaran and Kheda.

The Rowlatt Act of 1919, which curtailed civil liberties and strengthened police powers, led Gandhi to call for a satyagraha (non-violent resistance). The movement saw widespread protests and hartals (strikes), but was brutally suppressed by the British, culminating in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre where General Dyer opened fire on peaceful protesters. This atrocity shocked the nation and intensified the demand for freedom.

Gandhi emphasized Hindu-Muslim unity during this period, seeking to unite all communities against colonial rule. The Khilafat agitation (1920) over the fate of the Ottoman Caliphate brought Muslims into alliance with the Congress-led Non-Cooperation Movement. The movement saw mass boycotts of British goods, institutions, and titles, with widespread participation across India.

Local movements linked to the Non-Cooperation Movement addressed specific grievances such as high land revenue in Kheda, liquor shop picketing in Andhra and Tamil Nadu, forest rights protests by tribals, and Sikh agitation against corrupt mahants in Punjab. Women, too, began to participate actively, challenging traditional norms and gaining new roles in public life.

This section illustrates how the national movement expanded beyond elites to become a broad-based struggle involving diverse social groups united by the goal of swaraj.

📊 Diagram: Fig. 6 – Founders of the Natal Congress, Durban, South Africa, 1895; Fig. 7 – The walled compound in which General Dyer opened fire on a gathering of people

🧪 Activity: Find out which countries fought the First World War.

🔗 Connection: Leads to the detailed discussion of the Non-Cooperation Movement, Khilafat agitation, and the role of different social groups.