Swadeshi & Civil Disobedience — Study Notes

Overview

The Swadeshi Movement (1905), Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), and Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) represent three pivotal phases in India's freedom struggle. These mass movements transformed the Indian National Congress from an elite debating club into a mass political organization. The Swadeshi agitation introduced economic nationalism; Non-Cooperation brought millions into active resistance; and Civil Disobedience directly challenged British legal authority through symbolic acts like the Dandi March.

For UPSSSC PET, expect 2–3 questions on causes, leaders, methods, outcomes, and dates of these movements. Questions often test the chronological sequence, key slogans, resolutions, and reasons for suspension. Understanding the ideological shift—from petitions to passive resistance to outright defiance—is crucial.

Mastery means knowing **why each movement started, what tactics were used, who led them, and why they were called off**. Connect these movements to Gandhi's philosophy of satyagraha and the broader timeline of the freedom struggle.

Key Concepts

• **Swadeshi (1905–1908)**: Response to Bengal partition; emphasis on indigenous goods, boycott of British products, and national education. Led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal (Lal-Bal-Pal). Introduced militant nationalism.

• **Non-Cooperation (1920–1922)**: First all-India mass movement under Gandhi; combined with Khilafat issue to unite Hindus and Muslims. Methods: boycott of schools, courts, legislatures, foreign cloth; promotion of khadi and charkha.

• **Civil Disobedience (1930–1934)**: Direct violation of British laws, starting with salt law through Dandi March. Included no-tax campaigns, forest law violations, and parallel government efforts. More radical than Non-Cooperation.

• **Constructive Programme**: Gandhi's emphasis on hand-spinning (khadi), removal of untouchability, Hindu-Muslim unity, village industries, and prohibition alongside political resistance.

• **Mass Mobilization**: All three movements brought women, peasants, tribals, and students into the struggle. The participation base expanded from urban elite to rural masses.

• **Suspension Strategy**: Each movement was unilaterally called off by Gandhi after violent incidents (Chauri Chaura 1922; after Gandhi-Irwin Pact and Second Round Table failure 1931), leading to debates within Congress about methods.

Key Facts

1. **Partition of Bengal (1905)**: Curzon divided Bengal on 16 October 1905 ostensibly for administrative efficiency; real motive was to weaken Bengali nationalism by separating Hindu-majority West Bengal from Muslim-majority East Bengal.

2. **Swadeshi Resolution**: Formally adopted at Calcutta Congress session 1906. Boycott of British goods, promotion of Indian industries, national education (Bengal National College founded).

3. **Lucknow Congress (1916)**: Congress-Muslim League Pact; set stage for unified action. Home Rule Leagues by Tilak and Annie Besant gained momentum 1916–1918.

4. **Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919)**: General Dyer killed hundreds in Amritsar; triggered nationwide outrage; convinced Gandhi that cooperation with British was impossible.

5. **Non-Cooperation Launch (1 August 1920)**: Nagpur Congress session (December 1920) officially adopted the movement. Goal: attain Swaraj within one year through non-violent non-cooperation.

6. **Chauri Chaura Incident (5 February 1922)**: Violent mob in Gorakhpur killed 22 policemen; Gandhi immediately suspended Non-Cooperation on 12 February 1922, calling it a "Himalayan blunder" by the masses.

7. **Lahore Congress (December 1929)**: Jawaharlal Nehru as president; Purna Swaraj (complete independence) declared as goal. 26 January 1930 celebrated as Independence Day (now Republic Day).

8. **Dandi March (12 March – 6 April 1930)**: Gandhi walked 240 miles (385 km) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi beach with 78 followers; on 6 April, he picked up salt, breaking the Salt Law. This act symbolized defiance of British monopoly.

9. **Gandhi-Irwin Pact (5 March 1931)**: Civil Disobedience suspended; political prisoners released; Congress agreed to attend Second Round Table Conference; salt satyagraha permitted on coast.

10. **Second Round Table Conference (September–December 1931)**: Gandhi sole Congress representative; conference failed on communal award and responsible government issues; Civil Disobedience resumed January 1932.

Worked Examples

**Example 1: Chronological Ordering** **Question**: Arrange in chronological order: (A) Chauri Chaura (B) Dandi March (C) Partition of Bengal (D) Gandhi-Irwin Pact **Solution**:

• Partition of Bengal: 1905
• Chauri Chaura: February 1922
• Dandi March: March–April 1930
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact: March 1931

**Answer**: C → A → B → D

**Example 2: Cause-Effect Matching** **Question**: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was the immediate cause of which movement? **Solution**: The massacre occurred on 13 April 1919. Gandhi launched Non-Cooperation Movement in August 1920 as direct response to the brutality and the whitewashing Hunter Commission report. Khilafat issue (1919) added communal unity dimension. **Answer**: Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

**Example 3: Leader-Movement Association** **Question**: The slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" is associated with which phase? **Solution**: Bal Gangadhar Tilak coined this slogan during the Swadeshi Movement period (1905–1908), marking the rise of extremist nationalism. Tilak advocated militant methods unlike the Moderates. **Answer**: Swadeshi Movement

Common Mistakes

1. **Confusing Swadeshi with Quit India**: Students often mix the 1905 Swadeshi (anti-partition, boycott movement) with 1942 Quit India. **Fix**: Swadeshi = 1905, boycott of British goods; Quit India = 1942, "Do or Die," immediate British withdrawal demand.

2. **Thinking Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience are the same**: Non-Cooperation (1920) meant withdrawal from British institutions (schools, courts, titles). Civil Disobedience (1930) meant **actively breaking laws** (salt law, forest laws, no-tax). **Fix**: Non-Cooperation = passive boycott; Civil Disobedience = law-breaking.

3. **Wrong date for Dandi March**: Many write March 1931 or confuse start/end dates. **Fix**: Started 12 March 1930, reached Dandi 6 April 1930 (24 days). Gandhi broke salt law on 6 April.

4. **Assuming Gandhi led Swadeshi Movement**: Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1915; Swadeshi (1905) was led by Lal-Bal-Pal (Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal). **Fix**: Swadeshi = extremist leaders; Gandhi's first major all-India role = Non-Cooperation 1920.

5. **Forgetting why movements were suspended**: Students remember launch but not suspension reasons. **Fix**: Non-Cooperation stopped after Chauri Chaura violence (Feb 1922); Civil Disobedience suspended after Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931), resumed 1932 after RTC failure, finally withdrawn 1934.

Quick Reference

• **1905 Swadeshi**: Anti-partition, boycott British goods, Lal-Bal-Pal, Bengal National College.
• **1920 Non-Cooperation**: Gandhi's first mass movement, boycott institutions, Khilafat support, Chauri Chaura suspension Feb 1922.
• **1930 Civil Disobedience**: Dandi March (12 March – 6 April), salt law broken, no-tax campaign, Gandhi-Irwin Pact 1931.
• **Key slogan (Swadeshi)**: "Swaraj is my birthright" (Tilak); (Non-Coop): "Swaraj in one year."
• **Partition revoked**: 1911 Bengal reunited, capital shifted Delhi; Swadeshi agitation successful but movement had waned.
• **Round Table Conferences**: Three conferences 1930–32; Gandhi attended only second (1931); all failed to deliver responsible government.