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A2 Historical enquiry: India and the British Empire, 1757-1947

A2 Historical enquiry: India and the British Empire, 1757-1947. How much had been conceded by Britain by 1939?. L.O. Review how successful nationalism was in the 1920s and 1930s and how much had been conceded by 1939 Understand Copland’s view on the strength of nationalism. Starting point.

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A2 Historical enquiry: India and the British Empire, 1757-1947

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  1. A2 Historical enquiry: India and the British Empire, 1757-1947

  2. How much had been conceded by Britain by 1939? L.O. Review how successful nationalism was in the 1920s and 1930s and how much had been conceded by 1939 Understand Copland’s view on the strength of nationalism

  3. Starting point • 1919 Government of India Act gave 10% of Indian men the chance to vote for provincial governments with power over local matters • Britain promised a review within 10 years • Moderates in Congress took part in the elections • At the same time, Rowlatt Act provoked Gandhi’s non-co-operation movement 1920-2

  4. the late 20s • Simon Commission’s 1927 review of the1919 Government of India Act enraged the Indian National Congress • Results: • An All-parties Conference, which failed because Congress favoured a future strong central government ( which, inevitably, Congress would dominate) • Congress resolved in Dec 1928 to adopt purna swaraj (complete internal self-government) as goal and demand that British withdraw from India by end of 1929

  5. The 1929-31 Labour government • Offered Round Table talks in London to discuss dominion status as eventual goal for India • 1st round of talks took place but failed because Congress refused to attend • Decision taken to free Gandhi to attend 2nd round of talks • 2nd round of talks failed because Gandhi would not acknowledge minorities’ fears about a Congress/Hindu dominated India

  6. Fall of Labour gov’t, Aug 1931 • National government much less committed, even to dominion status • MacDonald still PM, but his sympathetic Secretary of State Wedgwood and Viceroy Irwin were replaced by Sir Stanley Hoare 1931-1935 and Viceroy Willingdon 1931-1936 • 3rd round of talks collapsed

  7. Why did the Round Table Talks fail? Combination of: • Labour only prepared to concede eventual dominion status (Contrast this with 1931 Statute of Westminster which gave legislative equality to the Dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland) • Conservatives in power (effectively) from Aug 1931 • Divisions within Indian nationalist movement – Congress, Muslims, Sikhs, untouchables • And also between nationalists and princes

  8. Government of India Act, 1935 • The work of the moderate Conservative PM Stanley Baldwin • Imposed not negotiated (but could any agreement have been reached if Indians had been consulted?) • Viceroy to retain control of defence and foreign affairs but accountable to mainly Indian executive council • Federal structure for a more autonomous central government • More autonomous provincial governments

  9. What were its aims? • It had no preamble stating the overall goal – thus the official stance hadn’t moved on from Montagu Declaration of 1917 • To retain Britain’s overall control • To preserve power of princes (pro-British) • To prevent Congress dominating central gov’t • To appease moderate nationalist opinion • To appease minorities with reserved seats in provincial gov’ts

  10. Many princes refused to join federation, so central gov’t not implemented at all Muslim disquiet at results led Jinnah to consider separate provinces within an All India federation British Labour Party felt it didn’t go far enough Churchill and others felt it went too far (important for when he became PM) Provincial elections took place in 1937 Victory for Congress Party Congress now partners in ruling with Britain (but not satisfied with this) How far did it succeed?

  11. Mass non co-operation movement, attributable to Gandhi Congress had adopted purna swaraj as its goal in 1929 – widely shared aim Gandhi had won publicity and support for movement = pressure on GB 1935 Government of India Act = Indians in control of provincial governments by 1937 Campaigns frequently broke down because of violence Nationalism as a whole split, Congress and Muslims Gandhi can be accused of exacerbating this, as he failed to recognise understandable concerns of Muslims, Sikhs and untouchables Government of India Act not fully implemented because most Indian princes preferred British rule to Indian democracy Britain’s National Government had not still not set a date for dominion status, (despite the Irwin Declaration) Progress and lack of progress for nationalism between the end of the 1st WW and 1939

  12. Copland’s view? • Suppose you decide to use Copland as a ‘lead historian’ in your coursework. • From the last two paras on p.30: • A) summarise his opinion in one or two sentences • B) highlight key quotations that back his opinion • Does he see British concessions as planned or as a response to nationalist pressure?

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