Revolutionary Movement: Origin, Impact, Evolution & Roots of Militant Nationalism

Militant Nationalism in India: Causes and Leaders #

The causes of the growth of extremists or militant nationalism are remarkably similar to the causes of the rise of nationalism in India. Leaders such as Tilak, Ashwini Kumar Dutt, and others have been involved in spreading militant nationalism since its inception. The Swadeshi Movement’s leadership shifted from moderates to extremists like Bipin Chandra Pal, Aurobindo Ghosh, Tilak, and others.

Roots of Militant Nationalism: Catalysts and Challenges #

Reasons behind the emergence of militant nationalism include:

• Moderate Failure: Politically conscious nationalists thought that British exploitation would continue since reasonable demands had little influence on British policies. Moderates believed that foreign rule might be changed, but this did not occur.
• Curzon’s anti-Congress stance: Curzon’s anti-Congress stance convinced many that Congress would remain a useless organization.
• Elevated position of Congress: Congress was substantially elevated to the position of a Zamindar and upper-middle-class elite party. Poets such as Bankim Chandra described the Congress session as a “three-day annual show.”
• Failure of ICA 1892: The Indian Council Act of 1892 was a huge failure that called the Moderates’ tactics into question.
• International influence: Japan defeats Russia in international events. The defeat of the Italian army by Ethiopians demolished the notion of Western superiority.
• Severe repressions: Deportation of nationalist leaders Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh in 1907. In 1908, KK Mitra and Ashwini Kumar Dutt were deported. In 1908, Tilak was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
• Curbed freedom: The Official Secrecy Act severely curtailed journalistic freedom.
  • Deportation without trial: The arrest and deportation of the Natu Brothers in 1897, even without publicizing the allegations against them, outraged the public.
  • Tilak was imprisoned: Tilak and other newspaper editors were convicted to heavy prison terms for inciting public outrage the same year.
• Political consciousness: The dissemination of political information made Indians realize that British rule was not beneficial to India, and it also resulted in the rejection of the White Man’s Burden thesis.

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Bengal Partition and Nationalist Outrage: Immediate Causes #

• Partition of Bengal: During Curzon’s reign, the partition of Bengal occurred, and it became one of the most important rallying moments in the history of the Indian liberation fight.
• Other events: like the Municipal Act and the Delhi Darbar, fuelled public outrage.
• Failure of early militant nationalists: They failed to give the movement a clear direction. They also failed to reach the general public.

Revolutionary Movement: Seeds, Actions, and Impact #

Impacts of revolutionary terrorism include:

• Sprouting of revolutionary groups: The era of revolutionary terrorism began, and hidden revolutionary groups appeared all over the nation. The most prominent and long-lasting secret organization is the Anusilan Samiti.
• Actions divided into two categories: assassinating of oppressive officials, traitors and informers, and dacoities to gather finances for the acquisition of guns, among other things.
• Impact on Congress: It had an impact on the Congress approach of involving youngsters in the short-term rural reconstruction initiative.
• National consciousness: Their sacrifices stir the emotions of the Indian people, assisting in the formation of national consciousness, which undoubtedly led to the country’s freedom.

Revolutionary Movement’s Setbacks: Mass Support, Goal Unmet, and Ideological Shift #

The decline of the revolutionary movement can be attributed to several factors:

• No mass support: It was unable to mobilize the people. It had no support among the general public. They believed in personal heroics.
• Unable to attain the goal: This movement was unable to attain its goal of independence.
• The assassination of Chandrasekhar Azad: In a shooting encounter in an Allahabad public park in February 1931 effectively ended the revolutionary struggle in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. The martyrdom of Surya Sen also signified the end of terrorist activity in Bengal.
• Rethinking of means: The revolutionaries imprisoned in jails and in Andaman began a process of rethinking.
• New ideologies: Marxism was adopted by a huge number of revolutionaries.

Revolutionary Movement: Catalyst for National Unity and Global Awareness #

The significance of the revolutionary movement includes:

• Organised form: Revolutionary movements began to take on an organised form under the influence of an organised national movement.
• Encouraged Indians: It encouraged Indians to violently overthrow British control in India.
• Symbol of resistance: Revolutionaries symbolized a more radical and assertive form of resistance.
• Catalyst for national unity: The movement fostered a sense of national unity among diverse groups.
• Inspiration for future generations: Revolutionaries’ sacrifices continue to inspire subsequent generations.
• Challenging British authority: Revolutionaries directly challenged British rule through acts of resistance.
• Influence on political discourse: Their actions influenced the strategies of other nationalist groups.
• International attention and support: Revolutionaries gained international sympathy and raised awareness about the Indian independence movement.

Conclusion #

Although they did not achieve their stated goal of achieving independence by armed revolution, they were successful in rallying people, self-governance, reading of authority from their minds, and striking horror into the hearts of the authorities.

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