HISTORY STUDY GUIDE

The Moderates and Radicals:

Moderates: Early Nationalist Phase (1885 – 1905)
Radicals: Assertive Nationalist Phase (1905 – 1918)

Early Nationalist Phase:

-During its early stages, the INC was led by leaders described as Early Nationalists.
-Members of the INC during its early nationalist phase mainly included educated, middle class Indians.
-These Middle class educated Indians included Lawyers, teachers, journalists etc.
-Leaders of the early phase included Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjea, Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
Beliefs:
-They believed that the British rule had several benefits for India.
-They believed it was in their best interest to stay under the British, as they couldn’t govern themselves.
-They thought they could persuade the British to implement reforms beneficial for Indians.
-They believed they didn’t have to use methods of violence
Objectives:
-They wanted proper participation of Indians in the Government soon.
-They wanted a gradual move to self-government in the distant future.
-They promoted western education and wanted it for everyone
-They wanted to eliminate violence
Methods:
-They adopted peaceful and constitutional methods to achieve their goals.
-They wanted to work alongside the British to reach their aspirations.
-They used ways like Peaceful Protests, constitutional reforms, petitions, appeals.
-They promoted Nationalism, unity, spread political awareness and built a strong public opinions.
-They sometimes sent delegations to England, to request that necessary reforms be made.
Demands:
-They wanted the British to introduce reforms for the welfare of the Indians.
-They thought the British would accept their pleas if they were reasonable.

Contributions:
-They set a good foundation for the radicals in their approach to attain freedom.
-They spread political awareness and instilled national unity in the people.
-They familiarised Indians with ideas like freedom, democracy, government, secularism, nationalism.
-This knowledge allowed nationalists to go forward with the development of the national movement.
Assertive Nationalist Phase:
-This marked the transition into the second phase of the national movement.
-The leaders during this phase included Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal.
Beliefs:
-They believed that the British weren’t just or fair at all, and that they had to get rid of them.
-Unlike the Moderates, they believed that the British rule wasn’t a good thing at all.
-They understood that India could never grow under the British rule, as their interests clashed.
-They thought the British didn’t want to help the Indians by introducing reforms at all.
Objectives:
-They didn’t want gradual self-government, they wanted immediate freedom from the British (Swaraj).
-They wanted to eradicate the British from India and
Methods:
-They used the radical method of active opposition to the government.
-Swaraj would be achieved with anti-government agitation and support from the people.
-The congress had to become a regiment of freedom fighters, willing to make sacrifices.
Demands:
-They

Contributions:
-The

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