1. The Early Nationalists: objectives and methods
- Period: 1885 to about 1905–07; also called the Moderates; mainly the educated middle class.
- Objectives: larger legislative councils with elected Indians; Indianisation of services (civil service examination in India too, higher age limit); separation of judiciary from executive; economic relief (lower land revenue, less military spending, protection of industry); civil rights (free speech and Press).
- Methods: petitions and memoranda, public meetings and resolutions, delegations to Britain; faith in the British sense of justice ("prayers, petitions and protests").
- Achievements: all-India platform; political training; exposure of economic exploitation; Indian Councils Act, 1892. Limitations: narrow base; small gains from petitions.
| Kind of demand | Examples |
|---|---|
| Political | Larger legislative councils with more elected Indians; freedom of speech and the Press |
| Administrative | Civil service examination in India as well as England; higher age limit; separation of judiciary from executive |
| Economic | Lower land revenue; less military spending from Indian funds; protection of Indian industry |
| Achievements | Limitations |
|---|---|
| All-India platform and political training | Support mainly from the educated middle class |
| Exposed economic exploitation (the drain) | Too much faith in British justice |
| Some reforms, e.g. the Indian Councils Act, 1892 | Petitions brought only small gains |
Key terms
- Moderates
The Early Nationalists who led the Congress from 1885 to about 1907 and sought reforms by constitutional methods.
- Memorandum
A formal written statement of demands sent to the government.
2. Naoroji, Banerjee and Gokhale
- Dadabhai Naoroji ("Grand Old Man of India"): drain of wealth argument (Poverty and Un-British Rule in India); elected to the House of Commons, 1892; Congress President 1886, 1893, 1906; at the 1906 Calcutta session swaraj was declared the goal.
- Surendranath Banerjee: Indian Association (1876) with Ananda Mohan Bose; all-India campaign on the civil service age limit; editor of The Bengalee; led the protest against the partition.
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale: Servants of India Society (1905); President, Banaras session (1905); budget criticism in the Imperial Legislative Council; regarded by Gandhi as his political guide.
| Leader | Main contributions |
|---|---|
| Dadabhai Naoroji | Drain of wealth argument; House of Commons 1892; Congress President 1886, 1893, 1906 |
| Surendranath Banerjee | Indian Association 1876; civil service age campaign; The Bengalee; led protest against partition |
| Gopal Krishna Gokhale | Servants of India Society 1905; Banaras session 1905; budget criticism in the Imperial Legislative Council |
| Imagined resolution at a Congress session | Kind of demand |
|---|---|
| Hold the civil service examination in Bombay as well as London | Administrative |
| Cut the share of Indian revenue spent on frontier wars | Economic |
| Allow elected Indians to sit in the councils | Political |
| Reduce the land tax in famine years | Economic |
Key terms
- Servants of India Society
Founded by Gokhale in 1905 to train dedicated workers for public service.
- Indian Association
Founded in Calcutta in 1876 by Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose.
3. The Partition of Bengal (1905)
- Viceroy: Lord Curzon; announced July 1905, effective 16 October 1905.
- New province: Eastern Bengal and Assam, capital Dacca.
- Stated reason: Bengal too large to govern efficiently.
- Nationalist view: divide and rule, to weaken Bengali nationalism and divide Hindus and Muslims.
- Protest: day of mourning; rakhis as a symbol of unity; swadeshi and boycott; students and women took part.
- Outcome: annulled in 1911, announced at the Delhi Durbar; capital moved from Calcutta to Delhi.
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Viceroy | Lord Curzon |
| Announced and effective | July 1905; effective 16 October 1905 |
| New province | Eastern Bengal and Assam (capital Dacca) |
| Stated reason | Bengal too large to govern efficiently |
| Nationalist view | Divide and rule: weaken Bengali nationalism; divide Hindus and Muslims |
| Outcome | Annulled 1911 (Delhi Durbar); capital moved to Delhi |
Key terms
- Partition of Bengal
The division of Bengal by Lord Curzon, effective 16 October 1905; annulled in 1911.
- Divide and rule
A policy of keeping control by setting groups of the ruled against one another.
4. The Surat Split (1907)
- Background: the Calcutta session (1906), under Naoroji, adopted swaraj, swadeshi, boycott and national education.
- Causes: differences over goals and methods; fear that the Moderates would drop the 1906 resolutions; venue moved from Nagpur to Surat; dispute over the presidency: the Moderates backed Rash Behari Ghosh, the Assertive group wanted Lala Lajpat Rai.
- Result: the session broke up in disorder (December 1907); the Moderates kept control of the Congress; the government repressed Assertive leaders; the groups reunited at Lucknow, 1916.
Key terms
- Surat Split
The division of the Congress into Moderate and Assertive groups at Surat in December 1907.
5. The Assertive Nationalists: objectives and methods
- Causes of their rise: failure of Moderate methods; Curzon's policies and the partition; Japan's victory over Russia (1905); growing self-confidence.
- Objectives: swaraj (self-rule); mass participation; self-reliance and national pride.
- Methods: swadeshi (use Indian goods); boycott (of British goods, government schools, courts, titles); national education (Indian-run schools and colleges); passive resistance (peaceful refusal to obey unjust measures).
- Contrast with the Moderates: swaraj against reforms; mass action against petitions; lost faith in British justice.
| Method | What it meant |
|---|---|
| Swadeshi | Use goods made in India; support Indian industry |
| Boycott | Refuse British goods, and also government schools, courts and titles |
| National education | Schools and colleges run by Indians, outside government control |
| Passive resistance | Peaceful refusal to obey unjust measures |
| Imagined action in 1906 | Method |
|---|---|
| A Pune shop sells only mill cloth from Indian mills | Swadeshi |
| Students refuse to sit for a government college examination | Boycott |
| A village teacher opens a school with lessons in Bengali on Indian history | National education |
| Traders refuse to unload British salt and sugar | Boycott |
Key terms
- Swaraj
Self-rule; the goal of the Assertive Nationalists.
- Swadeshi
Use of goods made in one's own country.
- Boycott
Refusal to buy or use foreign goods and government institutions.
6. Tilak, Pal and Lajpat Rai
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra): Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English); Ganapati and Shivaji festivals; declared self-rule a birthright of Indians (paraphrased); imprisoned at Mandalay, 1908–14; started a Home Rule League, 1916.
- Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal): English weekly New India; leading voice of swadeshi and boycott.
- Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab): Punjab Kesari; linked with the Arya Samaj and education; deported to Mandalay, 1907. (Later context: injured during a protest against the Simon Commission in 1928; died soon after.)
- Together known as Lal, Bal and Pal.
| Leader | Region | Main contributions |
|---|---|---|
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak | Maharashtra | Kesari and Mahratta; Ganapati and Shivaji festivals; swaraj as a birthright; Home Rule League 1916; Mandalay 1908–14 |
| Bipin Chandra Pal | Bengal | New India weekly; leading voice of swadeshi and boycott |
| Lala Lajpat Rai | Punjab | Punjab Kesari; Arya Samaj links; deported to Mandalay 1907 |
Key terms
- Lal, Bal and Pal
Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal, the leading Assertive Nationalists.
Exam tips
Common mistakes
- Saying the Moderates wanted complete independence.
- Writing 1907 for the partition (it was 1905; Surat was 1907).
- Naming the wrong Viceroy: the partition was under Curzon.
- Mixing up the Moderate (Rash Behari Ghosh) and Assertive (Lajpat Rai) choices at Surat.
- Quoting Tilak's swaraj declaration inaccurately; describe the idea in your own words.
How marks are usually awarded
- 1-mark items: one correct option or term.
- 2 marks: two distinct points (for a leader, two contributions).
- 10-mark questions in 3 + 3 + 4 parts: one point per mark; the 4-mark part often asks for causes and effects, a comparison or a balanced judgement.