The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)
- The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first mass protest campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi after the Amritsar Massacre (1919) and the Rowlatt Acts.
- Its goal was to achieve self-rule (Swaraj) through non-violent non-cooperation with British institutions.
- Indians were urged to boycott British schools, law courts, and goods, and to promote indigenous industries such as khadi (hand-spun cloth).
- The movement united diverse social groups under one nationalist banner.
- However, it ended abruptly after violence at Chauri Chaura in 1922, when protesters killed policemen, violating Gandhi’s principles of non-violence.
Case study
The Non-Cooperation Movement
Aims and Popular Response
- Gandhi transformed the independence movement into a mass-based campaign for the first time.
- Millions of Indians from cities and villages participated through boycotts, strikes, and symbolic acts of defiance.
- Students left British schools, lawyers refused to attend colonial courts, and women participated in public protests.
- The campaign appealed to both urban middle classes and rural peasants, bridging social divides.
- The movement demonstrated the potential of non-violent resistance to challenge colonial authority.
Failure and Impact
- The Chauri Chaura incident (1922) forced Gandhi to suspend the campaign, believing the public was not yet ready for disciplined non-violence.
- Critics accused Gandhi of retreating at a crucial moment, weakening nationalist momentum.
- The movement failed to achieve immediate political concessions, but it strengthened national identity and prepared the ground for future campaigns.
- It marked the rise of Gandhi as the moral and spiritual leader of Indian nationalism.
- The British realized that future reforms could not ignore the power of popular protest.
Civil Disobedience and the Salt March (1930) to the Quit India Campaign (1942)
- After a pause in major activity, Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934), expanding resistance beyond boycotts to openly defying British laws.
- The Salt March (1930) became the symbol of this campaign, protesting the British monopoly and taxation on salt, a basic necessity.
- The campaign spread across India, resulting in mass arrests and imprisonment of over 60,000 people, including Gandhi.
- During World War II, Gandhi initiated the Quit India Movement (1942), demanding immediate independence as India’s price for wartime cooperation.
- The campaign was suppressed violently, but it revealed that Britain no longer had the moral authority to govern India.
Case study
The Salt March (1930) and the Quit India Campaign (1942)
The Salt March and Civil Disobedience (1930–1934)
- Gandhi’s 240-mile Salt March to the Arabian Sea symbolized defiance of unjust laws through peaceful means.
- The act of making salt was a direct challenge to British authority and inspired millions to join.
- Women, students, and peasants participated, demonstrating national unity across gender and class lines.
- British arrests and brutal suppression drew global attention, shifting international opinion in India’s favor.
- Though the movement ended without full independence, it proved that moral pressure and mass mobilization could threaten imperial rule.
The Quit India Campaign (1942)
- During World War II, Gandhi declared that British withdrawal should be “immediate and unconditional.”
- The Quit India resolution was passed by the Indian National Congress in August 1942.
- The British responded by arresting Gandhi, Nehru, and nearly all INC leaders, cutting off central coordination.
- Spontaneous protests erupted nationwide, turning into strikes, sabotage, and demonstrations, despite Gandhi’s calls for non-violence.
- Although militarily suppressed, the campaign showed that colonial authority depended on force rather than consent, accelerating Britain’s decision to leave India after the war.
Common Mistake
- Treating the Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India movements as separate rather than connected phases of a continuous struggle.
- Ignoring the social and symbolic aspects of these campaigns and focusing only on political outcomes.
Exam technique
- Define each movement’s goal, method, and outcome clearly to demonstrate understanding of continuity and change.
- Use precise evidence such as dates, locations, and participation figures to support arguments.
- Compare moral impact versus political success to evaluate effectiveness.
Theory of Knowledge
- How does moral action influence political power?
- Can non-violence be an effective strategy when facing a violent regime?
- To what extent do symbols and collective actions (like the Salt March) shape historical change?
Self review
- Assess the effectiveness of the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements in advancing Indian independence.
- Examine the importance of the Salt March (1930) in uniting different sections of Indian society against British rule.
- To what extent did the Quit India Campaign (1942) mark the final stage in India’s struggle for independence?
