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11 views

history projec

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anandgupta5a
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INTRODUCTIO

N:
The Indian National Congress (INC) is one
of the oldest and most prominent political
parties in India. It was founded in 1885 by
Allan Octavian Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, and
others, initially as a forum for airing grievances
under British colonial rule. Over time, it grew
into a major political force, especially under
the leadership of figures like Mahatma
Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, playing a central role in
India's
The struggle
Indian for independence
National Congress (INC) from British
was the
rule. political party in India that led the country’s
main
struggle for independence from British rule. The
party, over time, developed internal divisions,
with two major ideological groups emerging within
it—the Moderates and the Extremists. These
groups had different approaches toward achieving
India's independence.
1.
Moderat
es
2.
Extremis
ts
1. Moderates
Period: Predominantly active during the late 19th
century and early 20th century.
Key Leaders:
Dadabhai Naoroji
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Surendranath Banerjee
Pherozeshah Mehta
Rajendra Prasad
Ideology & Approach:
Gradual Reform: Moderates believed in gradual
constitutional reforms within the framework of
the British Empire. They advocated for greater
Indian representation in government but did not
call for immediate independence.
Dialogue with the British: The Moderates
favored negotiation and dialogue with the British
government, often working through petitions and
constitutional methods to seek reforms. They
wanted to improve the conditions of the Indian
people without challenging the very existence of
British rule.

Reforms: They sought reforms such as:


Indian participation in the legislative councils.
A greater role for Indians in the
administration.
Expansion of civil rights and welfare for the
Indian masses.
Key Beliefs:
Loyalty to the British Crown: They believed that
Indian interests could be achieved through peaceful
means and cooperation with the British, rather than
confrontation.
Moderate Political Strategies: They believed in
education, legal reforms, and economic changes,
and they worked within the framework of the
existing British rule.
Significance:
The Moderates played a key role in the early
development of Indian political thought and were the
first to introduce political consciousness among
educated Indians.
However, they were often seen as too
accommodating to the British and too slow in
pushing for radical changes.
2. Extremists
Period: Their rise was particularly marked after the
1905 Bengal Partition and during the early 20th
century.
Key Leaders:
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Lala Lajpat Rai
Bipin Chandra Pal
Aurobindo Ghosh
Ideology & Approach:
Radical Action: The Extremists, in contrast to the
Moderates, believed that India needed to demand
immediate independence from British rule, even if
it meant adopting more confrontational methods.
They were disillusioned with the gradualist
approach of the Moderates.
Self-reliance: They emphasized the importance of self-
reliance (Swadeshi), self-respect, and the need for mass
mobilization against British imperialism.
Direct Action: They advocated for boycotting British
goods (Swadeshi movement), and organizing protests,
strikes, and other forms of direct resistance.
Cultural Revival: They also promoted the revival of
Indian culture and heritage as a tool of resistance to
British rule.
Key Beliefs:
Non-Cooperation with the British: The Extremists
rejected cooperation with the British and wanted India to
seek immediate self-rule or Swaraj.
Nationalism and Patriotism: They emphasized
aggressive nationalism and were often associated with
calls for armed resistance to British authority.
Mass Movements: They believed that independence
could only be achieved through mass mobilization, which
could involve non-violent forms of protest but also
revolutionary activities.

Significance:
The Extremists brought the idea of direct action
into the Indian independence movement and
helped radicalize a generation of Indians.
They influenced later movements, including the
Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil
Disobedience Movement under Mahatma
Gandhi, which adopted their emphasis on mass
mobilization.
Moderates vs Extremists: Key
Differences
The Split in the Congress (1907)
The Indian National Congress formally split into two
factions in 1907 at the Surat Session. This division
came after a period of growing differences between the
Moderates and Extremists:
The Moderates were led by Gopal Krishna
Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta, while the
Extremists were led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
The split resulted in a weakening of the Congress's
unity, but it also reflected the growing impatience of
the Indian public with the slow pace of constitutional
reforms under the British.
After the split, the Extremists led by Tilak continued
to push for more aggressive forms of resistance
against British colonialism, while the Moderates were
sidelined for a time.
Reunion and the Rise of Gandhian
Politics
By 1916, with the Lucknow Pact (between the
Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim
League), the Moderates and Extremists came together
to form a united front against British rule. This unity
paved the way for the emergence of Mahatma
Gandhi's leadership, which combined elements of
both Moderate and Extremist strategies but with a
stronger focus on non-violent civil disobedience.
In conclusion, while the Moderates focused on
gradual reform and cooperation with the British, the
Extremists advocated for immediate action and self-rule.
Both groups contributed to the shaping of India's
struggle for independence, and their differences
ultimately contributed to the broad range of methods
used in India's path to freedom.

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