MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI -- 1869-1948

The Name Is Spelt: G-A-N-D-H-I .... Not G-h-a-n-d-i.
 

Main Themes
 

1. The CONTEXT for Gandhian Nationalism: Political and Economic

Impact of the War: Prices, Taxes, Recruitment (see Bose and Jalal, ch. 12)

Political Context: Home Rule Leagues, Anti-war sentiment, INC-Muslim League alliance.
 

2. Transformation of Indian nationalism: REASONS FOR GANDHI'S SUCCESS.

* Key ideas and strategies: AHIMSA (non violence) and SATYAGRAHA (truth force).

* South African experience, and reputation.

* Organizational abilities, 1920-21 REORGANIZES the INC.

5 MILLION PEOPLE RECRUITED AS MEMBERS IN THREE MONTHS OF 1921.

** Gandhi's critique of modernity.
 

3. Popular participation (peasant nationalism) and I.N.C. control.

* Peasant REINTERPRETATION of Gandhi's message, and the role of RUMOR. (AMIN)

* Gandhi as mobilizer and "brake" on popular participation. This becomes the strength and the weakness of Indian nationalism under Gandhi.

* Differences between elite and subaltern nationalism.
 

4. "Communalism" and Indian Nationalism

* Causes for the emergence of "Communalism."

* Communalism AS nationalism, and vice versa?
 

5. Freedom and Partition

* The "high politics" of partition.

* INC as the Raj.

* Marginalization of Gandhi.

* Popular perceptions and participation.

* Evaluating the transition.
 

Important Dates and Events

1914-1918 World War I
 

1915 Home Rule Leagues formed by Tilak and Annie Besant. Gandhi returns to India.
 

1916 INC - Muslim League Pact (Lucknow Pact).
 

1917 Gandhi's first "satyagrahas." Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad.
 

1919 Government of India Act, (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms). Limited in nature. Rowlatt Act tries to keep martial law on in Punjab. Gandhi leads first all-India against it. 13th April, massacre of Indians by General Dyer at Jallianwalla Bagh in Amritsar.
 

1921 Non-cooperation and Khilafat Movement. The latter takes up Indian Muslims' concern with the abolition of the Turkish Caliphate.
 

1922FEBRUARY 4Peasants burn a police station at Chauri-Chaura. 23 Policemen die. Gandhi calls off the Non Cooperation Movement.
 

1923 Split between "Swarajists" and "No Changers" in the INC. Swarajists seek elections to Legislative Councils and the "No Changers" follow Gandhi in constructive work.

1928 Agitation against the all-white Simon Commission.
 

1929-30PURNA SWARAJ or Complete Independence resolution passed in Lahore.
 

1930 The Salt Satyagraha, and the First Civil Disobedience Movement.
 

1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Civil Disobedience called off. Gandhi to London for Round Table Conference. Unsuccessful. Second Civil Disobedience Movement launched.
 

1932 Communal Award. Gandhi's protest and threat of fast unto death. Compromise between Gandhi and Ambedkar on issue of separate electorates for "Harijans."
 

1935 Government of India Act. Greater power to elected bodies in provinces, but none in the center. INC first rejects then participates in elections held under the Act.
 

1937 Elections under 1935 Act. INC wins 711 out of 1585 provincial assembly seats, and 5 out of 11 provinces absolutely. INC-led governments in many provinces.
 

1939 INC resigns from all provincial legislatures and governments at the Viceroy's unilateral announcement of India's participation in the war.
 

1940 "Lahore Declaration": the demand for a separate Muslim homeland by the Muslim League.
 

1941 Subhas Chandra Bose escapes to Japan, and in 1943 forms the INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY (INA) of Indians from British Indian army being held as PoWs war by Japan.
 

1942 Cripps Mission and its failure. Quit India movement launched and repressed.
 

1943-44 "The forgotten genocide." Famine in Bengal kills over 3.5 million people.
 

1945 Simla Conference. Viceroy proposes a new "Executive Council" (all Indian except for Viceroy and commander in chief of armed forces) with equal representation of "caste Hindus" (i.e. the INC) and Muslims. Talks breakdown as League insist that only they have right to nominate Muslim members to the council.
 

1945-46 Elections to Center and Provinces. INC gets all the general seats at Center and 91% of votes. Muslim League all Muslim seats and 86% of Muslim vote. INC majorities in all Provinces except Bengal Sind and Punjab. Muslim League ministries in Sind and Bengal.
 

1945-46 Popular uprisings over the trials of the INA soldiers, and the RIN Revolt in Bombay.
 

1946 Cabinet Mission proposes a plan for a united India, with a weak center and relatively autonomous provincial units, grouped into one set of Hindu majority provinces and two Muslim majority ones. Not successful. League combined rejection of Cabinet Mission plan with calls for "Direct Action" to secure Pakistan. Major riots between Hindus and Muslims in Bengal, Bombay, and United Provinces.
 

1947 Partition and Independence under the Mountbatten plan.