EXTREMIST AND
REVOLUTIONARIES
THE SPLIT IN INC
MODERATES
By 1907, the Moderate nationalists were exhausted.
Their failures too were numerous.
They lacked faith in the common people, did no work among them.
failed to acquire any roots among them. Even their propaganda did not reach them.
Nor did they organize any all-India campaign.
They failed to meet the demands of the new stage of the national movement) Visible proof of this was
their failure to attract the younger generation.
not keeping pace with events.
Their politics were based on the belief that they would be able to persuade the rulers to introduce
economic and political reforms but their practical achievements in this respect was less .
At first the British's did not pay much interest or attention to the national congress
But later the officials turned openly critical of the Congress, the nationalist leaders and the Press.
They now began to brand the nationalists as ‘disloyal babus’ ‘seditious Brahmins,’ and ‘violent villains.’
The Congress was described as ‘a factory of sedition’ and Congressmen as ‘disappointed candidates for
office and discontented lawyers who represent no one but themselves.’
Thus, the government unleashed a repressive policy against the Indian Press in 1897.9
Why was this so?
because however moderate and loyal in their political perception the Moderates were, they
were still nationalists and propagators of anti-colonialist politics and ideas.
the British policy-makers felt that the Moderate-led Congress could be easily finished
because it was weak and without a popular base.
This policy was changed once the powerful Swadeshi and Boycott
Movement began and the militant nationalist became strong.
The new policy, known as the policy of the carrot and the stick, was to be
a three pronged one. It may be described as a policy of repression-
conciliation-suppression.
The entire objective of the new policy was to isolate the Extremists. Once
the Moderates fell into the trap, the Extremists could be suppressed
through the use of the full might of the state.
REASONS FOR THE RISE OF
REVOLUTIONARY OR MILITANT
NATIONALISTS
[Link] the real nature of
British government:
The early nationalists, journalists and writers through their writings and
works had uncovered the real nature of British rule.
They held British responsible for the degradation of India from a self-
sufficient economy to a colonial economy.
Further, they made the public aware about their rights which were not being
granted by the British.
All these created greater anger among the younger generations of Congress
who were the leaders of militant nationalism and led to the growth of
militant movements in India.
[Link] over the reforms and
laws:
The Council Act 1892 was a big disappointment for the members of Congress.
The legislative councils were full of official nominees. The government did not fulfill the
demands for increasing the number of Indians in the government services, reducing military
expenditures etc.
Further the government brought repressive laws under IPC 124 and 156A which angered the
young leaders.
The arrest of Tilak in 1897 caused widespread anger among the public. The government
reduced the strength of Indian members in the Calcutta Corporation.
The Universities Act increased the government control over the universities created anger
among the youth.
[Link] in confidence and growth of
self-respect:
During this Period, there was growth of self-respect and Aurobindo Ghosh
confidence of leaders and also the public.
The leaders like Aurobindo Ghosh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin
Chandra Pal proposed for greater participation of masses as
they had the confidence about the capacity of masses for
making sacrifices for attainment of Swaraj.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
[Link] of education:
The growth of education increased awareness among the Indians.
The ideas of democracy, Liberty, nationalism etc had reached India. The
educated youth became the vocal supporters of militant nationalism.
They realised the real impact of British domination on India and their
effects on their lives.
They became conscious about the need for self government for the
economic and political development of India.
The increase in unemployment among the Indians in general and youth
in particular further added to the discontent among the younger and
radical nationalists and led to the growth of militant movements in
India.
[Link] in the westernization in
India:
The new nationalists were worried about the rise of excessive westernization in
India which could have eroded the cultural and national identity of Indians
under the British rule.
The new nationalists took inspiration from the works and ideas of Indians like
Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekanand, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee etc.
These intellectuals with their strong arguments and speeches had created a
bright image of India's past which was much better than the present British rule.
Further, the works of Annie Besant added to these ideas and preached the
richness of past glory of Indian civilization. All these works had eroded the
myth of British superiority in India.
[Link] influences:
The rise of Japan economically and industrial after 1868 inspired Indians and gave them the
hope that it is possible for a backward Asian country to develop and progress without any
external control and help.
In 1896 Ethiopia defeated the Italian army which inspired the younger nationalists that it is
possible for an Asian country to defeat the colonial powers.
Further, the Boer wars (1899- 1902) which was a setback for British as they faced reverses and
the Japanese victory against the Russians and 1905 dismantled the myth of European
invincibility.
The national movements of Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Egypt etc gave inspiration to the youth
which ultimately gave rise to the growth of militant nationalists of Indian freedom movement.
REVOLUTIONARIES
From the end of 1907, a new political trend of the path of individual heroism
and revolutionary terrorism came to forefront in Bengal, which in course of
time spread to different parts of India. The active participants of this
revolutionary terrorism were the youth of Bengal.
In the backdrop of the repressive measures of the government and the failure
of the moderate and the extremist tactics, the revolutionary youth decided to
copy the methods of the Irish nationalists and Russian nihilists and
populists”
The revolutionary theorists targeted to assassinate unpopular British officials
and thereby kindle patriotic spirit and sustain the pace of the nationalist
movement.
In 1907, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the like of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.
In April 1908, Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose threw a bomb on the carriage which they
believed to be occupied by Kingford, the unpopular judge of Muzaffarpur but the attempt
misfired and it killed two English ladies.
With these two episodes, the era of revolutionary terrorism had begun. Very soon secret societies
of revolutionaries sprang up all over the country.
Between 1908 and 1918, nearly 186 revolutionaries were killed or convicted for sedition.
Two of the most, spectacular revolutionary terrorist activities of this period were the
unsuccessful attempts under the leadership of Rash Behari Bose and Sachin Sanyal to
assassinate the Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, who was wounded by the bomb thrown at him
while he was riding an elephant in a state procession and the assassination of Curzon while
in London by Madan Lai Dhingra.
Rash Behari Bose Sachin Sanyal Lord Curzon
TO SUM UP
MODERATES EXTREMISTS REVOLUTIONARIE
S
had faith in gradual reforms believed that the swaraj is their birth aimed in bringing change by
right applying revolutionary methods
believed in adopting constitutional believed in non-cooperation and used arms and ammunition as their
methods to achieve their objective adopted method of boycott against weapons to fight against the British.
foreign goods and propagation of They formed secret societies.
swadeshi.
believed that the British could be the demands could be realised only killed British officials and destroyed
persuaded to see the justness of their by putting pressure on the British British offices.
demands Government.
limited the movement to urban based believed in involving the masses for revolutionaries were limited to
middle class effective political action themselves
MODERATES EXTREMISTS REVOLUTIONARI
ES
lost popularity because of their Extremists became popular and They believed in individual
loyalty and faith in British succeeded in mobilising masses heroism so could not function
administration and generate mass movement. under a central control and mostly
worked in isolated groups.
The moderates believed in The extremists aimed at bringing The revolutionaries believed that
bringing change through peace. change through strike, movement, force must be met by force and,
The policy of 3P procession etc. therefore, took up the cult of the
bomb. armed conflict against the
British,
Moderates were modest and Extremists were aggressive and revolutionaries were of terrorists
submissive demanded change nature applying force.
Revolutionary terrorism gradually faded out. Lacking a mass base, despite
remarkable heroism, the individual revolutionaries, organized in small secret
groups, could not withstand suppression by the still strong colonial state.
But despite their ‘small numbers and eventual failure, they made a valuable contribution to the
growth of nationalism in India.
As a historian has put it, ‘they gave us back the pride of our manhood.’
THANKYOU
