Page 66 - SST Class 08

Nationalist

Movement (1885-1919) 9

q Causes of the rise of nationalism q Political activity before the formation of Indian National Congress
q Formation of Indian National Congress q First phase : 1885-1905
q Second phase : 1905-1919 q The nationalist revolutionaries

Introduction However, the British never accepted India as their
home, and their primary motive was to make as
India is a land of diversities, not only in geographical
much money as possible. It was one of the most
terms, but also in political, social, religious, cultural
important causes of the rise of nationalism.
and economic terms. The Indian people never felt
the whole Indian subcontinent as one nation in the English Language and Western Ideas
past. Whatever efforts were made by rulers to unite The English language was made the medium of
the whole subcontinent failed miserably. We can instruction in 1835. It became the language of the
see this fact from history that India divided itself educated Indians irrespective of their differences
into small states when there was no one powerful in religion and region. It provided a basis for
ruler. However, the British treated the whole of understanding one another. English served as a
Indian subcontinent as one political and economic link language among people speaking different
unit. This helped in the rise of nationalism, that is, languages. Also, education in English acquainted
love and loyalty for one’s country. the Indians with western ideas, especially the
ideals of equality, fraternity, democracy, socialism
CAUSES OF THE RISE OF NATIONALISM etc. Many Indians went abroad and came to know

the lifestyle and ideas of the people there. These
Following have been the important causes for the
rise and growth of nationalism in India : educated people led the national movement for
freedom.
Political and Administrative Unity
Social and Religious Movements
The British treated India as a single political and
administrative unit. The whole of India was ruled In order to cure the Indian society of many social
evils, a large number of social and religious
by one set of rules and one set of laws. The
administrative officers were often transferred from reformers worked. You have read about them in
one place to another. This provided a basic the previous lessons. These people contributed to
the rise and growth of nationalism as they gave
concept of one citizenship and one nation among
the Indians. the message of love for motherland. It was Swami
Dayananda who used the word Swaraj (self-rule)
Economic Exploitation by the British and declared Hindi as the national language of
The chief aim of the British was profit, even to the India.
detriment of the Indian trade, industry and Means of Communication and Transport
agriculture. The Indians became poorer as the
The British are credited with development of
British continued to drain wealth out of India.
Prior to the British rule, most of the invaders made means of communication and transport in India,
India their home, so the wealth remained here. such as railways, roads, canals, telegraph,
Contemporary Social Science-8
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