BY- BHUMIKA PRAJAPATI

Nationalism
•Nationalism involves National Identity
•Nationalism is little aggressive by nature
•In Nationalism people consider their nation as superior to other nations
•Nationalism unites people against a foreign hostile nation, it unites people against a common enemy.
•In Nationalism the sentiments are more inclined towards sentiments and aggression towards other
nations.
•Under concept of Nationalism, people find it hard to accept criticism towards one’s nation and
considers it as humiliation or an insult
•Nationalism gives more emphasis on the heritage, culture and language of a Nation
•Nationalism tries to find justifications for the mistakes done in the past

Factors responsible for the growth of Modern Nationalism in

19th Century-

• People understood that the British rule was the major cause of India's backwardness.
• Growth in Modern means of transport and communication led people from different regions
together. This helped in the unification of Ideas and building consensus for Nationalist cause.
• English and Western Education made Indians aware about various ethos of Democracy like Liberty,
Equality and fraternity. Due to this Indians became aware about their own rights.
• Press played a key role in spreading the ideas of Nationalism. Raja Rammohan Roy who was a
prominent social reformer published Sambad Kaumudi in Bengali and Mirat-UL-Akbar in Persian with
nationalistic and progressive orientation.
• Social and religious reform movements like Arya Samaj, Theosophical Society, Ramkrishna Mission
helped in revival of Nationalism in India.
• Economic Exploitation by the British. All sections of the society experienced the impact of
exploitation. Artisans lost their jobs, they were forced to work in plantations, agriculture became non-
profitable due to high taxations etc. Drain Theory by Dadabhai Naoroji rightly mentions the Plight of
Indians due to drain of Indian wealth.
• Middle Class became more conscious about its rights. The new middle class was the flag bearer of
Patriotism/ Nationalism in India.
• Global Events like Independence of United States,French Revolution, Unification of Italy and
Germany also made Indians to believe that such usurpers can be removed, and freedom can be
ensured.
• Racial Discrimination was widespread. Indians for this were kept out of exclusively European clubs
and were often not permitted to travel in same compartment of a train with the European passengers.
Ilbert Bill controversy highlighted discrimination issue and thus the conscience of the Indians was
shaken.
The political Associations and activities in pre-Congress period in India and abroad regarding the
Indian freedom struggle made it mandatory to form an All-India Association that would lead the
country against the foreign rulers. These early Associations had, though, important contribution in
terms of arousing the political will and demands of the Indian public, but their area and activities,
were limited. They mainly questioned local issues and their members and leaders were also
limited to one or adjoining provinces. Despite good leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath
Banerjee, Ananda Charlu and others there was a lack of national unity in case of political
association later it was gained by the formation of Indian National Congress.

Some of the prominent Political Associations which played very important role in arousing general
will and laying down a path towards modern Nationalism are as following-

NOTE-
1st political association was:-
1. Bangabhasha prakashika sabha (1836)- estb. in CALCUTTA
OBJECTIVE- was to promote bengali

Landholders Society

• In July 1838, the "Zamindari Association'', also known as the "Landholders Society'', was established to
safeguard the interests of the landlords.

• Landholders' Society was limited in its objectives i.e. covered demand of Landlords only.

• The landholders Society used the methods of constitutional agitation for the redressal of grievances
and marked the beginning of organised political activities.

Bengal British India Society

• In April 1843, another political association under the name of the Bengal British India Society was
founded.
• Its objective was "the collection and dissemination of information relating to the actual condition of
the people of British India''

The British Indian Association of Calcutta (1851)

• It was formed in 1851 by the merger of Bengal British India Society and the Landholders' Society.
• It was established to convey Indian grievances to the British Govt.
• It suggested various reform in Company's upcoming charter like Need for the establishment of a
separate legislature, separation of judicial functions from executive functions, salaries of higher
officers to be reduced, abolition of abkari, salt duty and stamp duties.
• Some of the recommendations of the association were accepted when the Charter Act of 1853
provided addition of six members to the governor general's council for legislative purposes.
The Deccan Association (1852)

• British India Association of Calcutta was confined only to Bengal but British India Association's
Secretary, Debendranath Thakur wanted to expand the association, as the aim of the British India
Association was to make representations from every part of British India to the British Parliament.
• In February 1852 as a further expansion of British India Association, the deccan Association was
established at Poona.
• Deccan Association did not last long and could not fulfil its objective of sending any mission or
petition for suggesting reforms to the upcoming Charter Act i.e. Charter Act of 1853.

The Madras Native Association (1852)

• After the establishment of Deccan Association, Madras acted next by establishing, the Madras branch
of the British Indian Association in February 1852.
• Within a few months, its name was changed to the Madras Native Association as it decided to act
independently of the parent body.
• The possibility of joint Indian petition to Parliament was wrecked by the split between Calcutta and
Madras associations.
• However, the Madras Native Association right from its inception possessed very little vitality, had
hardly any hold upon the public mind and languished into obscurity after 1857.

The Bombay Association (1852)

• On the lines of British India Association of Calcutta,on 26 August 1852, Bombay Association was
founded with the object of 'reminding from time to time the government authorities in India or in
England for the removal of existing evils, and for the prevention of proposed measures which may
be deemed injurious or for the introduction of enactment which may tend to promote the
general interest of all connected with this country'.
• The Bombay Association sent a petition to the British Parliament urging the formation of new
legislative council to which Indians should also be represented.
• It also condemned the policy of exclusion of Indians from all higher services, lavish expenditure
on posts given to the Europeans. However, this Association didn't survive for long.

East India Association

• In the year 1866, East India Association was founded by Dadabhai Naoroji in London.
• East India association started its branches in Bombay, Kolkata and Madras in 1869.
• The objective of East India Association was to discuss the problem and questions related to India
and to influence the British leaders towards the development of India.
• Later, Dadabhai Naoroji also opened its branch in various important Indian cities

Poona Sarvajanik Sabha

• The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha was established in 1867 at Poona.

• It has the objective of serving as a bridge between the Government and the people
India League

• It was established by Sisir Kumar Ghose in 1875.

• The aim of India league was to instill the feeling of Nationalism amongst the people.

The Indian Association of Calcutta

• Surendranath Banerjee and Anand Mohan Bose founded the Indian Association of Calcutta in 1876.
• Founders of Indian Association of Calcutta were discontented with the pro-landlord and
conservative policies of the British India Association that's why they established this new Association.
• This association was aimed to unify Indian people on a common political programme and create a
strong public opinion on political questions.
• East India association also organized an all India agitation known as the Civil Service Agitation after
its formation.

The Bombay Presidency Association

• Pherozeshah Mehta, K.T. Telang, Badruddin Tyabji and others formed the Bombay Presidency
Association in 1885.
• The reactionary policies of Lytton and the Ilbert Bill controversy caused political commotion in
Bombay and led to the formation of Bombay Presidency Association.

Madras Mahajan Sabha

• In 1884 Madras Mahajan Sabha was established by Viraraghavachari, P. Ananda- charlu and B.
Subramaniya Aiyer.
• The Madras Mahajan Sabha was formed in May, 1884 to co-ordinate the activities of local
association and to 'provide a focus for the non-official intelligence spread up through the Presidency'.
It was founded by M. V. Raghavachari, G. Subrahmanyam Aiyar, Anand Charlu and others.