Indian Nationalist Movement

What is “Nationalism”
• Patriotic feeling, principles or efforts
• Principle of national independence
 Why did the Indian nationalist
movement develop?
• British presence increased the feeling of
nationalism in India. Indians began to realise
they had more in common with each other than
they had with foreigners. They began to unite
in opposition to British rule.
• Some of the Indian criticisms of the Raj were:
– harsh/violent rule
– unwillingness to give Indians more say in government
– economic exploitation by the British government of
the people of India
 Indian National Congress
• Set up in 1885 by Englishman Alan Hume
• Many Indians soon joined the Congress,
particularly professional people
• The Congress was split into two major factions:
Moderates and Extremists
– Moderates: wanted the British to conduct a more
enlightened rule by improving education and opening
up more places for Indians in the administration
– Extremists: held a much more radical view; they
were far more critical of the Raj and were willing to
use violence to achieve their goals
 Jawaharlal Nehru
• Born into a wealthy family of Brahmans in 1889
• Educated in England and upon his return to India in
1919, was won over by Gandhi and his methods
• Supported Gandhi during his satyagrahas, and was
frequently jailed by the British as a result
• At the end of World War II, Nehru was released from
prison and became the leader of the Indian National
Congress and began independence negotiations with the
British
• Became India’s first Prime Minister in 1947
• Remained in office until his death in 1964
 All India Muslim League
• Established in 1906
• Developed to protect Muslim interests
• Many Muslims were afraid that because of
their minority, their interests would not be
protected in an independent India
• The division between Muslim and Hindu
nationalists would reach its height when
independence was granted…
 Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• Born in Karachi in 1876 into an Islamic family
• Sent to England for his education
• Returned to India in 1896 and joined the Indian National Congress
• Later joined the Muslim League but retained membership in the
Congress
• Scorned the popular movement that Gandhi and Nehru encouraged
and was very much a politician of the old style
• Became leader of the Muslim League in 1935 and proved absolutely
inflexible during negotiations with the British
• Upon independence, Jinnah insisted on the creation of a separate
Muslim state, to be known as Pakistan
• Became Pakistan’s first Governor-General in 1947
• He died soon after in 1948
Who was the most important
man in the Indian nationalist
movement?