BOOK 3 CH 11 Flashcards
(4 cards)
How did mahatma gandhi seek to identify with the common people
Mahatma gandhi did the following to identify himself with the common people of India :
• He did not behave like a professional or an intellectual. He rather mixed himself with thousands of peasants, artisans and workers.
• He, unlike other nationalist leaders, dressed himself like the common man. He wore a simple dhoti or loincloth.
• He worked on the charkha (spinning wheel) everyday. He also encouraged other nationalists to do the same.
• He did not believe in the traditional caste system.
• He often spoke in the mother tongue.
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants
Mahatma gandhi was perceived by the peasants in the following ways :
• The peasants respected Gandhiji and referred to him as their ‘Mahatma’. Stories abounded that those who opposed him suffered dire consequences. Rumours spread off about how the villagers who criticized Gandhiji found their houses falling apart and their crops failing.
• In some places peasants believed that Gandhi’s power was superior to that of the English monarch and that with his arrival the British rulers would free the district.
• In other places, peasants believed that he had been sent by the king to redress the grievances of the farmers and has the power to overrule the local Officials.
• The popular perception of Gandhi was that of a saviour who would rescue peasants from high taxes, oppressive Officials and restore dignity and autonomy to their lives.
Why did the salt laws become an important source for the study of national movements
The salt law became an important source for the national movement due to the followings :
• The salt laws gave the state monopoly in the manufacture and sale of salt. This was thus, one of the most disliked laws in British India.
• Salt was an important commodity in any household but people were forbidden from making salt even for domestic use. They were forced to buy salt from shops at a high price. The salt laws deprived the people of the benefits of valuable village industry.
• Moreover, to prevent people from having access to natural salt, tonnes of salt were destroyed. Destroying the extra natural salt involved national expenditure and the salt tax itself was a heavy burden on the people.
Thus, the salt laws were widely disliked and making these laws his target, Gandhi sought to mobilise a wider discontent against British rule.
Why are newspapers an important source for the study of the national movement
Newspapers published in both English and different Indian languages are important sources as they inform us about Mahatma Gandhi’s movements and activities. However, newspaper accounts should not be seen as unprejudiced as they were published by people who had their own political opinions and world views.
These ideas shaped what was published and the way events were reported. There will be difference in the accounts published in a London newspaper and an Indian nationalist paper. Therefore, it is important to look into these reports carefully while interpreting them. Every statement cannot be accepted literally. Sometimes, they represented fear and anxiety of those Officials who were not able to control movement.
