India - Policy, Administration and Nationalism Flashcards
(33 cards)
1
Q
How many Indians were enlisted in combat/already serving in WWI by November 1918?
A
827,000
2
Q
How many Indians died in WWI?
A
About 75,000
3
Q
How did involvement in war foster nationalism amongst Indians?
A
- Increased Indian self-esteem: if they could fight on behalf of Britain, they should have autonomy because they deserve it and in return
- WWI talk about importance of democracy and self-determination
4
Q
What was the 1917 Montagu Declaration?
A
- Claimed India would have eventual self-government; ‘self-governing institution’
- Gave no timeline
- To gain Indian loyalty during war
5
Q
What was the Rowlatt Act? When?
A
- February 1919
- Replace repressive provisions of wartime Defence of India Act (1915) by permanent law
6
Q
What were the reactions to February 1919 Rowlatt Act?
A
- All 22 non-official Indian members of Imperial Legislative Council opposed bill
- Jinnah resigned from the council as appointed officials ensured the act was passed
- Gandhi declared a national hartal on 6th April 1919
7
Q
What were the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms/Government of India Act 1919?
A
- System of Dyarchy where governmental responsibilities divided
- Gave Indians more of a say on a provincial level
- Imperial Exec Council: 6 members with 3 appointed Indians
- Lower Legislative Assembly had 106/146 members elected; 61 elected by wealthiest individuals
8
Q
What responsibilities were given to provincial administrations vs central government?
A
- Provincial: collecting tax, excise duties and revenue from stamps
- Central: income tax, custom duties, salt tax, postal communications and railways, defence and foreign affairs
9
Q
What is a caveat to the M-C Reforms?
A
- Although it was the first time Indian politicians held ministerial power overseen by a majority Indian council….
- National franchise was based on property tax: 150m population, 5m could vote for provincial councils, 1m for Leg. Assembly and 17,000 for Council of State
10
Q
What were reactions to the M-C Reforms?
A
- Too little too late
- Lukewarm reaction
11
Q
What was the consequence of the Rowlatt Act?
A
Congress declared another Hartal for 8th April
12
Q
What was the lead up to the Amritsar Massacre?
A
- 10th April: a mob killed 5 Englishmen and so Punjab provincial gov reqwuired military assistance and control
- 11th April: General Dyer’s troops arrived in Amritsar banning all public meetings and arrested local politicians
13
Q
What and when was the Amritsar Massacre?
A
- 13th April 1919
- Call for a public meeting on 13th April
- 10,000-20,000 Punjabis crammed into square enclosed by high walls when Dyer arrived with Indian troops
- Without warning, Dyer started firing into thickest groups
- Shot about 1650 rounds for 10 minutes only stopping when they ran out of ammunition
- 379 killed and 1200 wounded
14
Q
What and when was the Simon Commission?
A
- 1927-30
- Brought forward government review of dyarchy
- Lord Birkenhead recommended federal system of government; give provinces more power; VR maintain defence, internal security and foreign affairs
15
Q
What did the Simon Commission lead to?
A
- Lord Birkenhead appointed a review group without any Indians and so deliberately limited progress
- Commission arrived in 1928 and so Congress and ML boycotted all meetings, protested and demos
- Nehru Report….
16
Q
What is the background to the Nehru Report?
A
- 1928-9 All-Parties Conference
- Representatives from Congress, Princely States etc.
- Conference appointed a committee to draw up Indian constitution
17
Q
What was the Nehru Report?
A
- 28 August 1928: report presented to all-parties conference in Lucknow
- Recommended no state religion; reservation of seats for Muslims on central council and in minority provinces but not in the Punjab or Bengal
- Reservation for Hindus in North Western Frontier Province
18
Q
How did the Nehru Report lead onto Jinnah’s 14 Points?
A
- Jinnah wanted to reflect Lucknow Pact (1916) whereby Muslim seats reserved in Punjab, Bengal and a 1/3 of seats in central legislature
- Ultimately Congress reject his arguments and Jinnah regards this as a plan to exclude Muslims
- March 1929: Jinnah’s 14 points counter proposed federal constitution with protection for Muslims; rejected by ML bc representation wasn’t proportional
19
Q
What and when was the Irwin Declaration/Dominion Declaration?
A
- 31st October 1929
- Labour Party
- VR Lord Irwin declared eventual dominion status for India
- No timeline
20
Q
What did VR Lord Irwin declare in January 1929?
A
- To hold a round table conference to settle India’s constitutional future
21
Q
When was purna swaraj declared? By whom? What was it?
A
- 26 January 1930 by Nehru specifically
- By Congress in response to Labour government backing down from Dominion Declaration due to conservative opposition opposing in a hung parliament
- Complete independence
22
Q
What and when was the Salt March?
A
- 12th March 1930
- Led by Gandhi to peacefully protest against British salt tax on Indians but in general to gain independence
- Wide scale civil disobedience sparked
- Gandhi arrested for illegally making salt on 5th May gaining international attention to Indian independence movement
- Over 80,000 Indians jailed as a result of Salt Satyagraha
23
Q
When were the Round Table Conferences held?
A
First: November 1930 - January 1931
Second: September - December 1931
Third: November - December 1932
24
Q
What are the key points about the First Round Table Conference (Nov 1930 - Jan 31)?
A
- Many INC members in jail for civil disobedience
- Ended with 2 agreements: central and provincial power accountable to legislatures; British India and princely states federally linked as one nation
- However, Gandhi remained in jail causing protest and preventing productive outcome
25
What and when was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact?
- March 1931
- Gandhi agreed to end satyagraha campaign and for Congress to reconvene RTC
- Irwin agreed to release those who had been imprisoned during it and to allow Indians to make salt for domestic use., wouldn't have to inquire into police brutality
26
What were the consequences of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact?
- Gandhi equal in stature to VR
- VR Lord Willingdon (1931) would have to treat him with respect
- Churchill resigned from opposition forming India Defence League with support from 50 Tory MPs and Lancashire cotton industrials
27
Who and when were all of the Indian VR in the inter-war period?
- 1916-21 Lord Chelmsford
- 1921-26 Earl of Reading
- 1926-31 Lord Irwin
- 1931-36 Willingdon
- 1936-43 Linlithgow
28
What are the key points about the Second Round Table Conference (Sep-Dec 1931)?
- Gandhi sole official C representative
- Session ended without agreement on whether religious communities should be given political protection (Gandhi opposed separating electorates for minorities and didn't want to recognise Untouchables as a minority)
29
What did the British do following the Second Round Table Conference?
- 4 August 1932: announced without consultation representation for recognised minorities
- Divide and rule to wind up Congress
- Gandhi started a fast to protest
30
What are the key points about the Third Round Table Conference (Nov - Dec 1932)?
- Main Indian political figures missing (Gandhi jailed again)
- Session doomed as Labour and INC refusing to attend
- After Gandhi was arrested again, INC declared spirit of GI Pact (March 1931) had been broken and began another campaign of civil disobedience in India (boycotted tax, about 100,000 INC members arrested)
31
What was the Government of India Act 1935?
- Abolished dyarchy
- Electorate expanded from 5-35m (still less than 10% of population)
- Provincial admins fully elected and responsible for all matters provincially
- Seats in provincial legislatures reserved for recognised minorities
- No great changes to central admin
- VR retains control over defence and foreign affairs
- Elections set for 1937
32
What are some caveats to the Government of India Act 1935?
- 35m was still less than 10% of the population
- Provincial legislatures could be overruled by an 'emergency decree' from the VR
- No date set for dominion status
33
What was the Government of Burma Act 1935?
Separated Burma from India and so paved the way for Burmese independence
