Spectrum Test: Beginning Of Modern Nationalism In India - UPSC MCQ

• The English system of education had been conceived rulers in the self-interest of efficient administration, liberal and radical thought of European writers like Shelley, John Stuart Mill, Rousseau, Paine, Spencer Voltaire helped many Indians imbibe modern rational, secular, democratic and nationalist ideas. 

• The English language helped nationalist leaders from different linguistic regions to communicate with each other. Those among the educated who took up liberal professions (lawyers, doctors, etc.) often visited England for higher education. 

• There they saw the working of modern political institutions in a free country and compared that system with the Indian situation where even basic rights were denied to the citizens. 

• This ever-expanding English educated class formed the middle-class intelligentsia who constituted the nucleus for the newly arising political unrest. It was this section which provided leadership to the Indian political associations.

Explanation:

• Statement 1: The statement is incorrect. The press in the 19th century often criticized official policies, advocated for social and political reforms, and played a significant role in shaping public opinion. It was not solely focused on urging people to unite.
• Statement 2: The statement is correct. Due to various restrictions imposed by the colonial rulers on English-language newspapers, there was a prolonged growth of Indian-owned vernacular newspapers. Vernacular newspapers became a vital medium for the dissemination of ideas, communication, and mobilization of public opinion among the Indian masses.

• While Indian provinces were under direct' British rule, the princely states were under 'indirect British rule. 

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  The British sword imposed political unity in India. 

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  A princely state, also called a native state, feudatory state or Indian state (for those states on the subcontinent), was a vassal state^[1] under a local or indigenous or regional ruler in a subsidiary alliance with the British Raj. Though the history of the princely states of the subcontinent dates from at least the classical period of Indian history, the predominant usage of the term princely state specifically refers to a semi-sovereign principality on the Indian subcontinent during the British Raj that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by a local ruler, subject to a form of indirect rule on some matters. The imprecise doctrine of paramountcy allowed the government of British India to interfere in the internal affairs of princely states individually or collectively^[2] and issue edicts that applied to all of India when it deemed it necessary.

Political Associations Before Indian National Congress: 

• 1836-Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha 
• 1843-Bengal British India Society 
• 1851--British Indian Association 
• 1866-East India Association 
• 1875-Indian League 
• 1876--Indian Association of Calcutta or Indian National Association 
• 1867-Poona Sarvajanik Sabha 
• 1885-Bombay Presidency Association 
• 1884-Madras Mahajan Sabha

• The Zamindari Association, more popularly known as the 'Landholders' Society', was founded to safeguard the landlords' interests. 

• Although limited in its objectives, the Landholders' Society marked the beginning of organised political activity and use of methods of constitutional agitation for the redressal of grievances. 

• The Bengal British India Society was founded in 1843 with the object of the collection and dissemination of information relating to the actual condition of the people of British India... and to employ such other means of peaceful and lawful character as may appear calculated to secure the welfare, extend the just rights and advance the interests of all classes of our fellow-subjects". 

• A professional civil service, a unified judiciary and codified civil and criminal laws throughout the length and breadth of the country imparted a new dimension of political unity to the hitherto cultural unity that had existed in India for centuries. 

• The necessities of administrative convenience considerations of military defence and the urge for economic penetration and commercial exploitation (all in British interests) were the driving forces behind the planned development of modern means of transport and communication such as railways, roads, electricity and telegraph.

• The rise and growth of Indian nationalism have been traditionally explained in terms of Indian response to the British Raj stimulus by creating new institutions, new opportunities, resources, etc. 

• In other words, Indian nationalism grew partly due to colonial policies and partly as a reaction to colonial policies. 

• In fact, it would be more correct to see Indian nationalism as a product of a mix of various factors: (i) Worldwide upsurge of the concepts of nationalism and right of self-determination initiated by the French Revolution. (ii) Indian Renaissance. (iii) An offshoot of modernisation initiated by the British in India. (iv) Strong reaction to British imperialist policies in India.