Growth of National Consciousness in Late 19th-Century India
- Western Education
- English-educated Indians learned liberal ideas of freedom, democracy, and rights, sparking awareness of injustice.
- Social Reform Movements
- Thinkers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Jyotiba Phule challenged traditional practices and promoted equality.
- Impact of British Rule
- Racial discrimination, exclusion from high office, and economic exploitation united different classes against colonialism.
- Role of the Press
- Indian-owned newspapers such as The Hindu and Amrita Bazar Patrika spread political ideas and criticized British policies.
- Transportation and Communication
- Railways and telegraphs linked regions, creating a sense of shared national identity.
Definition
Indian Middle Class
- New educated class emerging under British rule, central to early nationalism.
Definition
National Consciousness
- Awareness of belonging to a shared nation with common interests.
The Growth of Political Awareness (1870s–1880s)
Early Political Organizations
- Provincial groups such as the Indian Association (1876) and Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (1870) emerged before the INC.
- Aimed to unite educated Indians to petition the government peacefully.
- Focused on issues like civil service reform, taxation, and representation.
- Used petitions and resolutions rather than mass protests.
- Laid groundwork for a nationwide organization.
Significance
- Created a generation of leaders skilled in political debate and negotiation.
- Encouraged cooperation between Hindus, Muslims, and other groups.
- Formed the foundation for the Indian National Congress (1885).
- Showed that change could be pursued through constitutional methods.
- Represented the beginning of organized political life in India.
The Indian National Congress (INC): 1885 and Beyond
- Formation
- Founded by A.O. Hume, a retired British official, with Indian leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, and W.C. Bonnerjee.
- Moderate Phase (1885–1905)
- Focused on petitions, speeches, and resolutions to demand reform, not independence.
- Key Demands
- More Indian representation in government, civil service reform, and protection of Indian industries.
- Naoroji’s “Drain Theory”
