What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the…

Question

What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India?

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Revolutions in America, France and Russia, Japan's 1905 victory, the First World War, the Great Depression and liberal, abolitionist and socialist ideas gave Indian nationalism its ideas and confidence. Japan's defeat of Russia in 1905 broke the myth of European invincibility as Swadeshi began.

**Introduction**

Indian nationalism grew from exploitation at home, but borrowed its vocabulary and confidence from the world: Savarkar translated Mazzini into Marathi and Phule dedicated Gulamgiri to American abolitionists.

**Political Upheavals Abroad**

SKETCH: timeline | World Events Behind Indian Nationalism
- 1789 :: French Revolution
- 1905 :: Japan defeats Russia
- 1914 :: First World War
- 1917 :: Russian Revolution
- 1920 :: Treaty of Sevres
- 1929 :: Great Depression

1. **Revolutions and unifications**: The American and French Revolutions spread popular sovereignty, and Italian unification made Mazzini a model for Lajpat Rai.
2. **Japan's victory of 1905**: An Asian power defeating Russia broke the myth of European invincibility as the Swadeshi movement began.
3. **War and revolution**: Irish Home Rule inspired the Home Rule Leagues of 1916, the Treaty of Sevres fired the Khilafat movement, and the Bolshevik Revolution led to the CPI at Tashkent in 1920.

**Economic and Social Currents**

1. **Industrial capitalism**: Britain's industrialisation made India a supplier of raw cotton and a market for Lancashire cloth, the basis of Naoroji's drain theory and of Swadeshi.
2. **War economy**: The First World War's taxes, forced war loans and price rise built the discontent that Gandhi mobilised in 1919-20.
3. **Great Depression**: Collapsing crop prices after 1929 fed no-tax campaigns in Civil Disobedience, while Soviet planning inspired the National Planning Committee of 1938.
4. **Liberal and egalitarian thought**: Enlightenment rationalism and abolitionism shaped reformers from Ram Mohan Roy to Phule, and Gandhi's experience of racism in South Africa produced satyagraha.

**Conclusion**

World events did not create Indian nationalism, but they supplied its ideas, methods and confidence. India's freedom in 1947 then repaid the debt by speeding decolonisation across Asia and Africa.

What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India?

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