HIS 312: Gandhi's India Towards Freedom and Partition: 1930s-1947 Outline #

Chronology of Events

1929 The Great Depression hits India, like other parts of the world.

1928-1931 Growth of revolutionary terrorism. BHAGAT SINGH becomes a folk hero.

1928 Nehru Report A Memorandum outlining a proposed new constitution for India with Dominion Status within the British Empire. Muslim League Leaders felt there were insufficient safeguards for MINORITY rights in the Nehru Report. Mohammad Ali JInnah Responds with his "Fourteen Points"in 1929 which were to become the basis of the Muslim League's political platform.

1929-PURNA SWARAJ or Complete Independence resolution passed by the INC in Lahore.

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

1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Civil Disobedience called off. Bhagat Singh sentenced to death. Second Round Table Conference for which Gandhi travels to London. 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 Untouchables/Harijans.

1935 Government of India Act. Further political reforms, 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. Congress-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.

1939-1945: World War II

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) comprising Indians of the British Indian army being held as prisoners of 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.

Themes

1. Popular Nationalism

*Varieties of popular nationalism: Peasant movements, Revolutionary terrorists, Quit India movement.

* The role of Gandhi, both as "mobilizer" and as "brake" on popular nationalism. (continued).

2. INC and Indian Nationalism 

* Differences within the INC, e.g. the "left" and "right" wings of the INC.

* INC, from a body opposed to the Raj, becoming the Raj.

3. "Communalism" and Indian Nationalism

* Causes for the emergence of "Communalism."

* Communalism AS nationalism, and vice versa?

4. Freedom and Partition

* The "high politics" of partition.

* Popular perceptions and participation.

* Evaluating the transition.