90 Days UPSC Mains Optional Answer Writing Initiative · 2018-10-05 · industry that is, in the making of cotton, silk and woolen goods. In Indian towns, the artisans and craftsmen

1

NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | [email protected]

90 Days UPSC Mains Optional Answer Writing

Initiative

History – Paper 2

Question and Model Answers from Subject Experts

http://neostencil.com/

2


11-Dec-2017 – Question 1

“Weaving”, says R. C. Dutt, “was the national industry of the people and

spinning was the pursuit of millions of women.” Indian textiles went to England

and other parts of Europe, to China and Japan and Burma and Arabia and Persia

and parts of Africa. Elucidate. (2013)

Model Answer

Weaving was the national industry of the people and spinning was the pursuit

of millions of women. Indian textiles went to England and other parts of Europe,

to China and Japan and Burma and Arabia and Persia and parts of Africa. This

statement by R C Dutt is mainly with respect to the flourishing textile industry in

Pre-British times.

How textile was the national industry of the people and involved women along with its exports to different parts of the world

1. This was a national industry as centres of textile production were spread over the whole country. The important centres in north India were Lucknow and Kashmir, in east India were Patna, Calcutta, Dacca, Kasimbazar, in western India were Ahmedabad, Surat, and Satara and in South India were Kasargod and Masulipatnam.

2. Lucknow was noted for its Chintzes; Ahmedabad for its ‘dhotis’ and ‘dupattas’; the Central Provinces for their silk bordered clothes; Madras for their ‘palampore’ industry; Madura and Salem for their ‘sarees’ and ‘vesties’; Gujarat and Rajasthan for the bandana,; Surat, Ahmedabad and Patna for Patola, Lucknow and Dacca for Jamadani; and Masulipatnam for its chintz.

3. India supplied nearly a quarter of world production of manufactured goods and attracted traders from different parts of the world. Chinese junks and Arab ships came to Indian ports followed by the later day European vessels for Indian products. Indian products were so popular that the dress fashions were also changed by them. English coarse woolens were replaced by Indian light cotton textiles.

4. These textiles were exported to England and other parts of Europe, to China and Japan and Burma and Arabia and Persia and parts of Africa. For example – Chintz went to Iran and Europe, Patola went to Indonesia, Cotton textiles to Britain etc.


3


5. The textile industry involves various sections of society and quite diverse communities like Tanti community of Bengal, Julaha community of North India, Devangas of South India along with Rangrez community involved in dying & Chhipigar community involved in block printing and this shows the national involvement of people in this industry.

6. Millions of peasants supplemented their incomes by part-time spinning and weaving. It was an important source of income for major part of the Indian population.

7. Women were the part of the workforce of textile industries in India. They carried out important works from weaving to spinning to marketing. Half of India’s textile market catered to women. The specific sizing of the Indian sari, intricacies of its color and designs, as also the social custom and ritual of its use reinforced by village-based relationships had protected this

market from many centuries.

India in the 18th century was a great manufacturing as well as a great manufacturing country and the Indian handloom supplied the markets of Asia and Europe. The European traders were attracted first not by raw materials, but by the manufactured wares of India. The East India Company carried out a profitable trade by selling Indian made linens and woolens and silks and embroidered goods. In particular, a high degree of efficiency was reached in India in the textile industry that is, in the making of cotton, silk and woolen goods. In Indian towns, the artisans and craftsmen gathered, and collective production took place i.e there were little factories employing 100 or more artisans. So efficient was the textile industry of India that even the rising English machine-industry could not compete with it and had to be protected by a duty of around 80 percent.

India which had been for hundreds of years the Lancashire of the eastern world and had in the 18th century supplied cotton goods on a vast scale to Europe lost her position as a manufacturing country and became just a consumer of British goods. The British goods especially cloth brought death to the hand industries of India. It brought misery for millions of artisans and weavers. The governor general Bentinck said that ”the misery hardly finds a parallel in the history of commerce. The bones of cotton weavers are bleaching the plains of India”.


4



“Plassey did not complete the British conquest of India. Had the English been convincingly defeated in any subsequent battle in India, then (the battle of) Plassey would have remained as a minor episode in the history of India.” (2014)

Model Answer

The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud daullah on 23 June 1757.

How Plassey did not complete the British conquest of India

The battle of Plassey was not important from the military viewpoint. It was a mere skirmish. No military superiority was shown by the English army. The Nawab’s camp was deserted that lead to the victory of Lord Clive. He won the battle almost without fighting. Battle of Plassey was not won by military might but deceit. According to some historians: it was a transaction in which the bankers of Bengal and Mir Jafar sold out Nawab to the English.

Lord Clive’s diplomacy excelled. The Battle of Plassey was won by the British more by heir diplomatic skill than by the strength of their arms.

The battle of Plassey did not make the east India company the sovereign power of Bengal rather it gave only Diwani rights to the company.

In other parts of India as like Awadh, Delhi, Mysore, Maratha region, French controlled region, Dutch controlled region etc, the British control was not established.

The Subsequent battles, the English fought were Anglo-French war, the battle of Bedara with Dutch, Battle of Buxar, Anglo-Mysore war, Anglo-Maratha war etc. If the British were defeated in these, the Battle of Plassey would have remained a minor episode. However, the most important battle in this context was Battle of Buxar (1764).

Had British been defeated in the battle of Buxar, Plassey would have remained

as a minor episode in the history of India because of the following reasons:


5


1. The Battle of Buxar was important from the military point of view. The Battle of Plassey was won by the British more by their diplomatic skill than by the strength of their arms. But, the Battle of Buxar was won by them by their sheer strength and skill in arms. Battle of Buxar proved the military superiority of the English and exposed the inherent weakness of the native force

2. The seeds of British imperialism sown at Plassey flowered after the Battle of Buxar, a fact that makes the latter battle historically more important. It finally consolidated British rule in Bengal, the Nawab was reduced to a mere figurehead, the Company started an unchecked plundering of the wealth of Bengal, the Nawab of Oudh turned to a submissive ally and the Mughal emperor was reduced to thriving on an allowance from the Company.

3. While the Battle of Plassey secured a foothold for the British East India Company in India, the Battle of Buxar made them the dominant force in India. Buxar war completed the work of Plassey.

4. Buxar confirmed the decisions of Plassey. The East India Company, after the battle of Buxar, gained dominance over entire Bengal. The Mughal emperor came fully under the control of British. All duties and revenues from the most prosperous Indian province (Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa) went to the company. It also gained administrative power by controlling the army, finances, and revenues.

Importance of Battle of Plassey

Some historians have attached greater importance to the Battle of Plassey. They have said that it was difficult to remove Sujah-ud-Daulah after the Battle of Plassey than Mir Qasim after the Battle of Buxar.

The Battle of Buxar was only an attempt by the native powers to challenge the position acquired by the English in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.The Battle of Plassey made the position of the company de jure in Bengal.

The battle of Plassey was followed by the subsequent plunder of Bengal as Bengal was placed at the disposal of the English vast resources. After Plassey, a huge sum was given to the Company.

Before the Battle of Plassey, English Company was just one of the European Companies trading in Bengal and huge taxes were imposed by the Nawabs of Bengal. After Plassey, the English virtually monopolized Bengal’s trade


6


and commerce. The tax and wealth earned from here helped the British to balance all of their trade liabilities.

The battle of Plassey provided the British a base using which they were able to defeat French in the battle of Wandiwash (1760) and Dutch in the battle of Bedara (1759) thus ended the European competition for the conquest of India.

It can be concluded that both the battles (Plassey and Buxar) had important effects on the growth of British power in India but it is true that the results of the Battle of Buxar were more important for the British. The battle of Buxar completed the work of Plassey. Buxar confirmed the power and position of the English which they achieved by the results of Plassey. Any defeat in the battle of Buxar would have given opposite result, lessening the importance of the battle of Plassey.


7



“The Dual System of Government was a complete failure from the outset. In the first place, the abuse of the private trade reached a greater height than ever. In the second place, the demands of the Company for the increase led to gross oppression of the peasantry.” Examine. (2014)

The dual system of government (1765-1772) was the brainchild of Robert Clive. Under this, the Company acted as Diwan and Nawab as Nazim. This system of separate Diwan and Nizam is called Dual system. Under this system, the fiction of sovereignty of Mughal emperor and formal authority of Nawab was maintained.

Abuse of private trade

Under this system, abuse of private trade reached a greater height than ever. Indian Merchants were reduced to beggars i.e. the Indian merchants were to pay around 40% of the revenue. On the other hand, British kept enjoying the duty-free trade. The company employees demanded exemptions from levies to carry out a private trade. This private trade was at the cost of Company’s interest. The Indian administrators were open to illegitimate pressure and were unable to

restrain the misconduct of the company’s servants.

Oppression of Peasantry

The system also led to gross oppression of the peasantry. Since the company’s revenue was shrinking due to the private trade of employees, it demanded an increase in revenue from the Indian revenue officers and pressurised the Zamindars and finally, the burden of revenue fell on peasantry which led to severe oppression of peasantry. The oppression reached such a limit that the governor of Bengal, Verelst (1767-1769) appointed English supervisors for Diwani lands to check high hardness and venality of revenue collectors and zamindars but his successor, John Cartier (1769-1772) found that the English supervisors only made confusion more confounded and corruption more acute.

Conclusion

In nutshell, the dual system separated power from responsibility, the English got revenue rights but no responsibility for internal administration.


8


Nawab lost all independent military or financial support for his executive actions.

During the 7 years for which the dual system was in operation, the Company was on the verge of bankruptcy and its servants were flourishing exceedingly.

Dual system also brought oppression and misery of the Bengal peasantry as well as suffering for Indian merchants.


9



The railways, instead of serving as the catalyst of an industrial revolution as in Western Europe and the USA, acted in India as ‘the catalyst of complete colonization’.”- Examine. (2012)

The Railways construction was promoted in India in the 19th century to fulfil the motives of the imperial economy as well as to administer the country more effectively and efficiently.

In 1846, Lord Hardinge said that the Indian Railways were planned for the

prevention of insurrection, speedy termination of war and safety of empire.

How the railways acted as the catalyst of complete colonization in India –

1. A cheap and easy system of transport was necessary to enable imported English manufactured goods to reach the interior of the country, facilitate the collection and export of raw materials and agricultural goods from the interior and to allow an opportunity for the investment of English capital in railway companies operating in India.

2. The railway development proved to be an expensive burden on the finances of India as it increased the home charges of India and heavy interest (5%) was paid to British investment companies by the government and in the process-heavy losses were incurred.

3. In most countries of Western Europe and the USA, railway construction had encouraged auxiliary industries like the engineering industry, iron and steel industry, mining etc. that is a chain of development called the backward linkage effects but India was denied of such auxiliary industries development due to the policy of the railway companies to import all that was needed by them.

4. In the planning, construction and management of railways, the economic and political development of India and her people was not kept in the forefront.

5. The railway lines were laid primarily with a view to link India’s raw material producing areas in the interior with the port for export. The needs of the Indian industries regarding their markets and source of raw materials were neglected.


10


6. The railway freight rates were fixed in a manner so as to favour import and export and to discriminate against internal movement of goods as it became more difficult and costlier to distribute Indian goods than to distribute imported goods.

7. From the administrative point of view, the railways helped the British govt to control the distant parts of India, to move around the army to quell internal disturbances and foreign attack and to guard the frontiers of India against other powers.

8. Peasants and tribal revolts were easily suppressed by British due to rapid mobilization and movement of troops.

9. In certain areas, the construction work disturbed ecology, subverted the natural sewage system and in Bengal for example created malaria epidemic in the 19th century.

10. Railways also helped in ecological imperialism as it helped in the exploitation of forest resources and exploited timber was used for laying sleepers for the railways.

Thus it can be concluded that the primary consideration of the development of railways in India was to serve the economic, political and military interest of British imperialism in India. Hence it acted as the catalyst of complete colonization in India.


11



”Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war””. Examine this statement with reference to Lord William Bentinck. (2016)

Model Answer

William Bentinck (1828-35) was the First Governor General of India. His seven years rule

Provided a break from past policy of wars and annexations which started under Robert Clive.

Examples of policy of wars and Annexations before William Bentinck-

Battle of Plassey in 1757 under Robert Clive Battle of Buxar in 1764 under Hector Munro First Anglo-Maratha war, Second Anglo-Mysore war under William Hastings Third Anglo-Mysore war under Lord Cornwallis Fourth Anglo-Mysore war under Lord Wellesley The policy of subsidiary alliance brought by Wellesley and under it, the

annexation of Hyderabad, Mysore etc. First Indo-Burma War (1824-26) under Lord Amherst.

In sharp contrast to the policy of wars and annexations, William Bentinck’s tenure is known for a number of reforms undertaken in various fields like Social, public service, Judicial, Financial, Education etc

Social Reforms

Abolition of Sati and cruel rites in 1829 Suppression of Infanticide and child sacrifices Suppression of Thugi

Public Service Reforms

No distinction on the basis of religion, place of birth, descent or colour in public service recruitment under Charter act of 1833.

Liberal Policy towards press


12


He believed press to be safety-valve for discontent and adopted a liberal policy towards it.

Education Reforms

He defined the aim of education and English as a medium of instruction. Committee on public instruction under Macaulay was set up.

Financial Reforms

Set up 2 committees to recommend economy in expenditure. Reduced bhattas of military officers, reduced allowances of civil servants. Employed Indians as far as possible. Opium trade was regularised and licensed. Encouraged iron and coal production, tea and coffee plantations, irrigation

systems. Land revenue collection increased under him.

Judicial Reforms

Abolished provincial courts of appeal set up by Lord Cornwallis. A separate Sadr Nizamat and Sadr Diwani Adalat was set up at Allahabad. Vernacular languages other Persian can also be used as court language. In higher courts, English replaced Persian. Qualified Indians were appointed at the Junior judicial post of munsiffs.

Policy towards Indian states

Non-interference as far as possible even though strong reasons were available for intervention in Jodhpur, Bundi, Kota, Jaipur, Bhopal.

Treaty of Perpetual policy with Ranjit Singh.

However, there was the deviation from above policy. He annexed Coorg, Mysore and Cachar on the plea of misgovernance. In addition, Lord Bentinck was Utilitarian who wanted to change India by rule of law and implemented these policies to lay down a strong foundation for the British imperialism.


13



Explain the factors responsible for the recurrence of famines in the nineteenth century. What remedial measures were adopted by the British Indian Government ?(2017)

Model Answer

The ancient and medieval India did not enjoy absolute immunity from famines. The Arthashastra mentions famine relief measures. Famines took place during the reigns of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, Akbar, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. But what differed then was the frequency of famines as well as the proactive measures undertaken by the rulers unlike the British.

Under the British Crown rule, there were 10 severe famines besides a large number of scarcities. The major famines in the 19th century are 1860-61 in Delhi-Agra region, the Orissa famine of 1866, the famine of 1876-78, the famine of 1896-97 and the famine of 1899-1900.

There were a number of factors responsible for the recurrence of famines in the nineteenth century which are as follows:-

Commercialisation of agriculture resulted in a reduced area under cultivation of food crops due to the substitution of commercial non-food grains in place of food grains. Between 1893-94 to 1945-46, the production of commercial crops increased by 85 percent and that of food crops fell by 7 percent. This had a devastating effect on the rural economy and often took the shape of famines.

Introduction of Permanent revenue settlement, Ryotwari settlement and Mahalwari settlement and excessive land revenue imposed on peasants led to rural indebtedness and ruin of Indian artisans due to deindustrialization reduced their purchasing power to an extent that it led to condition of penury and made the food prices unaffordable for them which often became reason for death due to famine.

Environmental-imperialism i.e. British intrusion into tribal areas and enactment of various forest acts restricted the access of tribals to forest produce and prohibited Jhum cultivation creating conditions for famine in the tribal areas.


14


Introduction of Permanent settlement led to rise of subinfeudation and absentee landlordism which led to less investment in agriculture and associated activities leading to less production which accompanied increasing population causing recurring famines.

Diversion of food grains to fulfill the needs of the army was an important reason for Great Bengal famine of 1942-43.

Remedial measures adopted by the British Indian government:-

Under the East India Company rule, no attempt was made to formulate any general system of famine relief or prevention. However, the provincial governments and district administration made some relief measures like storage of grain, penalties on hoarding, bounties on imports, advancing loans for the sinking of wells etc.

During the crown rule, the British began to appoint committees and commissions on famine.

The First committee was Baired Smith Committee in 1860-61 during the famine in Delhi-Agra region but no specific famine relief measures were taken on his recommendation.

The Orissa famine of 1866 took a toll of more than 1 million lives and was followed by the appointment of a Committee under George Campbell in 1866 but its recommendations also did not result into any specific policy.

The great famine of 1876-78 was the most grievous calamity experienced since the beginning of the 19th century. It affected Madras, Bombay, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. R C Dutt has estimated that more than 5 million perished in a single year. In the light of above consequences, Lytton constituted Richard Strachey Commission in 1880 and its recommendations were accepted by the government and its recommendation created a basis for specific famine policy.

1n 1883, a famine code was formulated under Lord Ripon. The code had 4 major parts-

Part I was related to precaution during normal times Part II was related to relief campaign Part III was related to official duties during relief Part IV was related to famine prone area mapping A Famine fund was constituted which was an exclusive fund for famine

relief and a new head in the budget was introduced for famine relief and insurance.


15


A major famine took place in almost all provinces during 1896-97 and extensive relief measures were undertaken. James Lyall Commission was appointed in 1898 which largely expressed the views expressed by his predecessors.

There was another famine in all provinces during 1899-1900. Lord Curzon appointed a Commission under the presidency of Anthony MacDonnell in 1900 and its recommendations include the creation of the office of famine commissioner, the creation of agricultural banks, introduction of moral strategy and improvement of irrigation.

Moral strategy recommended by Anthony MacDonnell was put into practice during famine of 1907-08.

Bengal famine of 1942-43 took a heavy toll on the life of people. The root cause being a series of crop failures and conditions created by the world war II. The relief measures were belated and inadequate. In the light of the above famine, John Woodhead Commission was appointed which was the last famine Commission.

Conclusion

It is evident that the famines in British India were frequently occurring calamities. The government efforts were half-hearted, famine machinery was found inadequate and ineffective, funds sanctioned were quite limited and unwisdom of the famine policy amply clear as it evolved very slowly. In addition, for a long time, there was no famine policy. So, the role of famine policy in addressing the challenges of famines was quite limited.


16



“The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60 holds a very significant place in our history of national liberation movement. For the first time in the history of our anti colonial struggle, its two independent currents – spontaneous peasant resistance and constitutional agitation in defense of the peasantry – came into mutual contact.” Elucidate. 2015, (150 words, 10 marks)

Model Answer

The indigo planters have been the targets of peasants’ revolt for a long time, whether it was the revolt under the leadership of Titu Mir or Dudu Mian but the Indigo revolt of 1859-60 marks a significant departure from all the previous peasants’ protests. In this peasant revolt, for the first time, spontaneous peasant resistance and constitutional agitation for the cause of peasantry came into the picture together.

The oppression of the Indigo planters increased in the 2nd half of the 19th century as Indigo lost its importance as an export item and the Union Bank, which was the chief financier for the planters failed in 1847.

How it was a spontaneous peasant resistance

The indigo disturbances started in the autumn of 1859 when peasants refused to accept advances from the Indigo planters in a wide region in the districts of Nadia, Murshidabad, and Pabna later joined by the Jessore peasants. Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas provided leadership in Nadia district.

As the planters tried to coerce the peasants to sow indigo, peasants resisted the physical pressure of the planters and their retainers and their Indian agents were subjected to the social boycott. They also organised a counter force against the planters’ attacks.

As the planters tried methods like evictions and rent enhancement, the ryots replied by going on a rent strike by refusing to pay the enhanced rents and by physically resisting the attempts to evict them.

How Constitutional agitation in the defence of the peasantry


17


Greater Awareness and embracement of colonial laws and institutions – The peasants took their cases to courts, which were inundated with law suites. As the planters sought to evict their defaulting tenants, the latter went to court to establish their right as occupancy ryots under the Rent Act X of 1859.

Role of the intelligentsia – The educated middle-class intelligentsia emerged as the spokespersons for the aggrieved peasantry. For ex. – Dinabandhu Mitra published in September 1860 a play called Neel Darpan, which depicted the atrocities of the indigo planters in the boldest possible colour. The intelligentsia played a significant role by supporting the peasants’ cause through newspaper campaigns, organisation of mass meetings, preparing memoranda on peasants’ grievances and supporting them in legal battles.

Role of Indian Press – Indian press, particularly the Hindoo Patriot and Somprakash took up the cause of the indigo peasants, and the British Indian Association came to their side as well.

Impact of Indigo revolt (1859-60)

The Government appointed an indigo commission to inquire into the problem of indigo cultivation. Based on its recommendations, the Government issued a notification in November 1860 that the ryots could not be compelled to grow indigo and that it would ensure that all disputes were settled by legal means.

This revolt succeeded in bringing the peasants’ issue to the wider arena of institutional politics and Indigo cultivation was virtually wiped out from Bengal by the end of 1860.

After the Indigo revolt of 1859-60, the indigo investment from Bengal shifted to Bihar, where it had to wait for Gandhiji’s intervention in 1917 for its complete demise.


18



Underline the major considerations of the British imperial power that led to the annexation of Punjab. 2017 (10 Marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

The East India Company decisively defeated the Sikh army in the Second Anglo-Sikh War. Following the victory, the East India Company annexed Punjab on 2 April 1849 and incorporated it within British India.

There were a number of considerations of the British imperial power which led to the annexation of Punjab:-

Earlier, Punjab used to act as a buffer state between British provinces and Afghan & Persia but with death Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the subsequent instability, Punjab failed to perform this function making annexation inevitable.

British were also apprehensive of the Russian design in Afghanistan and Central Asia and Russo phobia was another reason for the annexation of Punjab.

In the first Afghan war (1839-42), the British were decisively defeated which brought great humiliation and broke the myth of invincibility of British arms. Annexation of Punjab after that of Sindh was also a logical sequel to regain the lost prestige.

British Commercial interest due to access to Indus linking Punjab directly to sea route and fertile lands of Punjab suitable for commercial plantation were also major considerations.

In addition, The British quest for a scientific and safe frontier in the North-West and the imperialist vision of Lord Dalhousie to have an All India Empire were other major considerations.

However, it has to be understood that the annexation of Punjab was part of a broad North-West Frontier policy set up in motion after the exit of Ranjit Singh which is reflected in the annexation of Sindh (1843) followed by that of Punjab (1849).


19



Explain “Constructive Swadeshi” characterised by atmashakti (self-reliance), which propelled the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.2015 (10 Marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

The Swadeshi Movement (1905) had its genesis in the anti-partition movement which was stated to oppose the British decision to partition Bengal. According to historian Sumit Sarkar, there were four major trends in Bengal Swadeshi, namely, the moderate trends, constructive swadeshi, political extremism and

revolutionary terrorism.

Constructive Swadeshi developed with an emphasis on self-reliance, village level organisation and constructive programmes to develop indigenous or swadeshi alternatives for foreign goods and institutions. Rabindranath Tagore emerged as the main ideologue of this constructive swadeshi.

Constructive Swadeshi Programme includes the following:-

It included amateurish attempt to manufacture daily necessities, national education, arbitration court and village organisation.

Manufacturing daily necessities – Bengal chemical factory was started as a swadeshi enterprise in 1893 and another factory was started in 1901 to manufacture porcelain. The swadeshi enterprise like textile mills and handlooms, match and soap factories and tanneries were also set up.

Swadeshi education – National education movement started with Bhagavat Chatuspathi (1895) of Satish Chandra Mukherjee, the dawn society (1902-07), the Saraswat Ayatan of Brahmabandhab Upadhyay (1902), Shanti Niketan Ashram of Ravindranath Tagore (1901), Bengal National College (1906).

Swadesh bandhab Samiti settled 523 disputes through its 89 arbitration committees by August 1906.


20



“The ‘safety-valve thesis’ does not adequately explain the birth of the Indian

National Congress in 1885.” 2014 (10 Marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

The Safety-valve thesis was a conspiracy theory relating to the birth of the Congress. The thesis originated from William Wedderburn’s biography of Hume published in 1913. Wedderburn, another civil servant, wrote that in 1878 that Hume had come across seven volumes of secret reports at Simla which showed that there had been seething discontent among the lower classes and a conspiracy to overthrow British rule by force. He became disturbed, met Lord Dufferin and together they decided to establish an organization with educated Indians. This would serve as a safety valve by opening up a line of communication between the rulers and the ruled and would thus prevent a mass revolution. The congress was in this way the creation of British rule.

This safety-valve theory was believed by the earlier nationalist historians; the imperialist historians used it to discredit Congress and the Marxist historians developed a conspiracy theory from this.

The ‘safety-valve thesis’ does not explain the birth of the Indian National Congress

due to the following reasons:

(1) First of all, those seven volumes of secret reports have not been traced in any of the archives either in India or London. Given the structure of British information system in the 1870s, it was highly unlikely that so many volumes of secret reports have existed.

(2) Hume was Secretary to the Department of Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce. How could the Secretary of these departments get access to Home Department files or CID reports? Also, he was then in Simla while Home Department files were kept in Delhi; they were not sent to Simla.

(3) If Congress was founded out of the fear of an outbreak, why did Hume and British officialdom wait for seven long years? (Report in 1878 and Congress in 1885)


21


(4) Wedderburn writes that a warning of the threatened danger came to Hume ‘from a religious Guru of Tibet’ and the evidence of the seven volumes was shown to Hume by the Gurus. Though Hume was in fact student of Eastern Religions and impressed by Gurus, why should Hume believe that these reports ‘must necessarily be true?’

(5) The further proof offered for the safety-valve theory was based on W.C. Bannerjee’s statement in 1898 in Indian Politics that the Congress, ‘as it was originally started and as it has since been carried on, is, in reality, the work of Dufferin.’ He stated that Hume had, in 1884, thought of bringing together leading political Indians once a year “to discuss social matters” and did not “desire that politics should form part of their discussion.” But Dufferin asked Hume to do the opposite and start a body to discuss politics so that the Government could keep itself informed of Indian opinion.” Probably W.C. Banerjee’s memory was trying to protect the Congress from the wrath of the late 19th century imperialist reaction.

(6) Dufferin was not sympathetic to the Congress. It was not only in 1888 that Dufferin attacked the Congress in a vicious manner by writing that ‘we cannot allow the Congress to continue to exist.” Dufferin openly castigates Congress for its dubious motives. He criticized it for representing a “microscopic minority” and this statement if anything else explodes the safety valves or conspiracy theory. In fact, from the end of May 1885, Dufferin had grown cool to Hume and began to keep him at an arm’s length.

(7) Though Hume played a crucial role in the foundation of the Congress, even if Hume had not taken any initiative, in India in the 1870s and 1880s, the formation of the national organization was clearly in the air. In reality, Hume was a political liberal, who had a clear idea about growing discontent among Indians. So he visualised an all India organisation which would represent Indian interest and act as an opposition. During May June 1886, Dufferin criticised Hume, his main fault

being that he was one of the chief stimuli of Home Rule Movement.

(8) Historians now more or less agree that the story of seven volumes of the secret report was a fiction created by a friendly biographer Wedderburn to portray Hume as British patriot who wanted to save the British Empire from an impending crisis.


22



“The Anti-Partition Agitation (1909) had an economic character in Bengal unlike

the Extermist Agitation in Maharashtra which had a religious character.”

Examine. 2014 (20 marks, 300 words)

Model Answer

The Anti- Partition Agitation had an economic character in Bengal:–

Ø boycott of Foreign goods,

Ø coming up of Swadeshi industries like Porcelain, Handloom, Textile, Basic daily necessities based industries like Soap, Matchbox, Agarbatti etc.

Ø Bengal chemical factory established by P.C. Ray,

Ø setting up of the Co-operative organization.

However, the Bengal Swadeshi also had a religious character:-

Ø Invokation of Kali cult or Bhawani,

Ø Barindra Kumar Ghosh published Bhawani Mandir,

Ø Aurobindo- Swaraj wrote about the return of Satyug of National greatness and

fulfilment of Vedantic ideal in politics,

Ø Bipin Chandra Pal talked about the Hindu Nation,

Ø Bankim Chandra Chatterjee invoked Krishna as Karma Yogi.

The Extremist Agitation in Maharashtra had a religious character:-

Ø Celebration of Ganesh Festival (1893) and Shivaji Festival (1895) started by Tilak

Ø Organisation of Anti Cow killing Societies

Ø Tilak invoked Sri Bhagwat Gita in Keshri in 1897.


23


However, the Extremist Agitation in Maharashtra also had an economic character as reflected in:-

Ø boycott of Foreign goods,

Ø Encouragement to indigenous industries,

Ø Bonfire of foreign cloths,

Ø Organisation of Swadeshi Bazar and Swadeshi mint in Satara.


24



“The Mutiny of 1857 was much more than a Mutiny of Sepoys and much less than a National Rebellion.” Comment. 2016 (10 marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

This statement given by historian Thomas R. Metcalf is related to nature of the revolt of 1857 and the debate among the historians about the same.

The colonial historians like Kaye, Malleson, Trevelyan, John Lawrence, T. R. Holmes, John Seeley etc have described it as a mutiny of sepoys.

However, this view was questioned by contemporaries like Karl Marx, Benjamin Disraeli etc. V D Savarkar, in his book The Indian war of Independence, described it as a ”planned war of national independence” which got support from S.B.Chaudhari in 1959.

However, in recent times, there is a consensus among historians that the revolt of 1857 was not a not a nationalist rebellion and this view is supported by S N Sen and R C Majumbar beacuse –

The popular character of the revolt was limited to Upper India alone, while the regions and groups that experienced the benefits of British rule remained loyal.

There were also important groups of collaborators. The Bengali middle classes remained loyal. The Punjabi princes hated the Hindustani soldiers and shuddered at the thought of a resurrection of the Mughal empire.

Those who rebelled had various motives, which were not always connected to any specific grievance against the British; often they fought against each other.

There was no premeditated plan or a conspiracy.

However, the revolt was more than a mutiny of sepoys because


25


Although the main initiative came from sepoys there was also the participation of civilian population which included taluqdars, peasants, artisans etc.

In some areas, peasants and artisans forced the taluqdars to join the revolt. There was also autonomous mobilisation of the peasantry in the rebellions

of 1857-58.


26


08-Jan-2018 – Question 1

Champaran was the first of 3 movements during 1917-18 that marked the entry

of Gandhi — and civil disobedience — in Indian politics. Elucidate. (20 marks,

300 words)

Model Answer

The successful struggle of the indigo cultivators of Champaran against European planters introduced to India satyagraha — non-violent civil disobedience as a stratagem of mass politics that Gandhi had experimented with earlier in South Africa.

Champaran Satyagraha

Champaran saw the earliest demonstration of the Gandhian political strategy. Around the early 19th century, white planters had forced cultivators in this part of present-day northwest Bihar into agreements known as teenkathia, under which they were obligated to grow indigo on 3/20ths of their landholdings. To come out of this exploitative system, Gandhiji was approached by a Champaran man, Raj Kumar Shukla, who managed ultimately to persuade him to visit the theatre of the indigo farmers’ struggle.

In Champaran, Gandhi was ordered to leave immediately — but he refused, telling the administration that he would rather take the punishment for disobeying the law. This was a new manoeuvre, and the government, not prepared to use force immediately, took a step back. The first round won, Gandhi went about investigating the grievances of the peasants. Gandhiji went about, recording detailed statements in the manner of modern commissions of inquiry.

He went on to present evidence collected from 8,000 farmers and made out an irrefutable case for the abolition of teenkathia and payment of compensation for illegally extracted dues. Over the next few years, almost all planters went away from the area.

Ahmedabad Mill Strike

His next intervention — in the Ahmedabad mill workers’ stir — saw the use of another of his signature political weapons: the fast. Mill-owners wanted to scrap a


27


‘plague bonus’, but workers argued it was needed to make up for the wartime increase in the cost of living. Gandhi got the two sides to agree to arbitration but told workers to go on a strike after the mill-owners reneged. When the strike started to flag, he went on a fast, telling the workers that if starvation was to be their lot, he would be the first to face it. The real impact was on the mill-owners. The moral force of Gandhi’s action pressured them to agree to arbitration by a tribunal. The strike ended, and the tribunal awarded a 35% raise — the original demand of the workers.

Kheda Satyagraha

Gandhi’s third intervention in this phase was on behalf of farmers in Kheda district, whose appeals for a remission of land revenue had been denied despite the fact that drought had cut the yield to below the one-fourth level fixed for full relief under the revenue code. As the peasants’ tussle waxed and waned, the government secretly ordered recovery of revenue only from those who could pay

— and Gandhi, his object fulfilled, called off the agitation.

Champaran, Ahmedabad, Kheda brought forth a style of politics that would bring the Raj to its knees and set a template for action in multiple futures historical and geographical contexts. The elements at its heart — were non-violent satyagraha, hartal, fast and prayer.


28



Analyse the social composition of the early Congress leadership. (2012, 15

marks, 250 words)

Model Answer

The early Congress politics also called the moderate phase of politics was quite limited in nature, in terms of its goals, programmes, achievements and participation. One reason behind this limited nature was the composition of the early Congress leadership.

The moderate politicians mostly belonged to the propertied classes. The first conference of the Indian National Congress in 1885 was attended by seventy-two non-official Indian representatives who included people belonging, classes, such as lawyers, merchants and bankers, landowners, medical men, journalists, educationists, religious teachers and reformers.

Of all the delegates who attended the Congress sessions between 1892 and 1909, about 18.99 were landlords; 39.32 percent were lawyers , 15.10 percent were traders,3.18 percent were journalists, doctors (2.94 per cent), teachers (3.16 per cent) and other professionals (17.31 per cent). Among the lawyers again many were related to landlord families or had landed interests.’

These early moderate politicians were also mainly Hindus, barring the notable exception of the Bombay politician, Badruddin Tyabji. Between 1892 and 1909, nearly 90 per cent of the delegates who attended the Congress sessions were Hindus and only 6.5 percent were Muslims and among the Hindus again nearly 40 per cent were Brahmans and the rest were upper-caste Hindus. In addition, region wise also, there was dominance of Bengali and Maharashtrians.

This clearly shows that the leadership of early Congress consisted mainly of Upper Class or middle class educated Indians who had firm belief in providential nature of British rule and this composition of leadership also led to social orthodoxy, as social questions were not raised in the Congress sessions till 1907.


29



Discuss the circumstances favouring growth of Left ideologies in Colonial India. Write in brief about growth of Left within Congress. (20 marks, 300 words)

Model Answer

Leftism in India grew out of the special politico-economic circumstances prevailing in India towards the end of the first world war. These circumstances were –

The first world war brought in financial burden, rising prices of necessities of life, famine conditions and manipulative profiteering – all exposing the evils of imperialist- capitalist domination.

The romantic appeal of the revolutionary ideas of Marx coupled with the reflected glory of the new regime in the USSR fired the imagination of Indian intellectuals.

Gandhiji’s slogan of Swaraj gave a new orientation to the political movement even the workers and peasants were drawn into the mainstream of national life.

A volatile section of the new generation of the educated middle class with the spectre of unemployment had lost faith in the 19th-century liberal economic ideology.

A section of the radicals felt unhappy with exclusive emphasis on Swaraj without a socio-economic dimension and saw cult of non-violence as an obstructive element in the development of real revolutionary mass struggle against British imperialism.

Growth of Left within Congress

The Congress during the Indian national movement covered within itself a diverse range of ideological groups, however, the left trend was most prominent. Its growth is traced in the following points:

During 1920’s, there was a rise of left-wing within the Congress who were inspired by the Soviet Revolution and dissatisfied with Gandhian ideas and political programme, began advocating radical solutions for economic, political and social ills of the country;


30


The Great Depression of the 1930s in the capitalist world, the Russian Revolution and the success of the Soviet Five Year Plans, and the anti fascist wave the world over during the 1930s made socialist ideas attractive.

Nehru played an important part in popularising the vision of a socialist India both within the national movement and in the Congress. Nehru argued that political freedom must mean the economic emancipation of the masses.

The leftwing tendency found reflection in the election of Jawaharlal Nehru as president for 1929, 1936 and 1937 and of Subhas Chandra Bose for 1938 and 1939. Nehru argued that political freedom must mean the economic emancipation of the masses.

Congress Socialist Party was formed in 1934 to work within the Congress, to give the national movement a socialist direction, and to organize workers and peasants in their struggles.


31



How did Dr. B.R. Ambedkar try to seek a political solution to the problem of caste in India ? (2016, 10 marks, 150 words )

Model answer

B R Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination against Dalits, while also supporting the rights of women and labour. He was Independent India’s first law minister, the principal architect of

the Constitution of India and a founding father of the Republic of India.

Dr B R Ambedkar preferred a political solution through guaranteed access to education, employment and political representation.

He set up Bahiskrit Hitkarni Sabha (1924) for the moral and material progress of the untouchables.

He resorted to methods of agitation and launched satyagraha to establish civic rights of untouchables to enter the hindu temples and draw water from public wells.

He demanded separate electorates (1928) for the untouchables. He founded Independent Labour Party (1936) in his bid to mobilise the

poor and untouchables on a broader basis. He founded Scheduled caste federation (1942) as an all India party. After independence, Dr Amberkar ensured the abolition of untouchability

under article 17, reservation for Dalits under article 15 and 16.

In these ways, Dr B R Ambedkar sought to solve the problem of caste through Political ways rather than religious ways, unlike Gandhiji.


32



What significant role did women play in the Indian National Movement ? (2016, 20 marks, 300 words )

Model Answer

Women role in Indian National Movement can be divided into three different parts –

o Indirect role – like role of tarabai Shinde, Savitri bai phule, Pandita Ramabai, Sarojini Naidu, Annie Besant etc in social, political and educational fields ( put some facts to substantiate your argument)

o Direct role – In revolutionary movement and Other movements including Congress movements

o Revolutionary movement – o (a) role in the first phase of revolutionary during Swadeshi

movement, o (b) role in Surya Sen led the revolutionary movement, o (c) role in HSRA led the revolutionary movement,

o (d) role in Azad Hind Fauj under Subhas Chandra Bose

Other Movements –

o (a) role in 1857 revolt, o (b) Home rule league under Annie Besant,

o (c) Tebhaga and Telangana revolt,

Congress-led movement (mainly in Gandhian era) –

(a) Swadeshi movement, (b) Rowlatt Satyagraha, (c) Non-Cooperation movement, (d) Civil Disobedience movement,

(e) Quit India movement.


33


This is the broader framework within which one should answer this question. Add facts and names to substantiate your answer and bolster your arguments.


34



To what extent did the Freedom Movement in India influence the Liberation Movement in Africa ? ( 2014, 10 marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

In 1890, Indian National Congress opposed deployments of Indian soldiers in Sudan and Ethiopia.

Gandhiji formed first political party in Africa i.e. Indian Natal Congress (1894). He was visited by many African leaders in their search for inspiration and guidance.

Strategy and style of Gandhiji became a model for African nationalist. Many adopted ‘’Congress’’ nomenclature to identify their parties like West African Congress and African National Congress (on the model of INC).

In 1927, Nehru visited Brussels congress of oppressed nationalities in 1927 where he met African leaders and called for joint declaration and where possible joint action against imperialism.

In calcutta session of Congress in 1928, It was declared that Indian struggle is linked with world struggle against imperialism and colonialism. It was decided to set up an overseas department to establish contact with political formations and leaders in Africa.

Congress working Committee passed resolutions on discrimination prevailing in South Africa and Kenya.

In 1934-35, INC sympathised with Abyssinians in Italy- Abyssinia war. After getting independence also, India continued to protest against the

apartheid regime of South Africa in various international forums and even cut off trade relationship with South Africa to show its displeasure against the discriminatory policy of then South African govt.

Thus , it can be concluded that India was political, strategically and morally committed to supporting liberation movements in Africa.


35



‘’My true glory is not to have won 40 battles … Waterloo will erase the memory

of so many victories, … But … what will live forever, is my Civil Code’’. Discuss. (

10 marks, 150 words )

Model Answer

Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of the battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815 after his defeat by a Seventh Coalition at the Battle of Waterloo. He was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena.

During the time of Napoleon, many different (and often contradictory) legal systems existed throughout France stemming from the feudal days. In fact, the French philosopher Voltaire stated that a man travelling across France changes laws as often as he changed horses. Napoleon saw this as a big problem and became determined to unify France under one single set of clearly written laws in a clear and logical format for which he brought out Code Napoleon in 1804.

The Napoleon Civil Code gave post-revolutionary France its first coherent set of laws concerning property, colonial affairs, the family, and individual rights. The Code included rights such as the freedom of speech, public trials, freedom of worship, and freedom to select one’s own occupation. The Code also forbade privileges based on birth and specified that government jobs go to only the most qualified. Though the Code also contained the elements of the Roman law of ancient France as it respected the old tradition of family discipline, private ownership of property envisaged in Roman law.

Napoleon often remembered for his military feats, held the creation of the Napoleonic Code as his greatest accomplishment. In fact, Napoleon remarked near the end of his death: “My real glory is not the 40 battles I won—for my defeat at Waterloo will destroy the memory of those victories. . .. What nothing

will destroy, what will live forever, is my Civil Code.”

The influence of that Civil Code can be seen in the fact that most of the territories occupied by him, have adopted it, even after his defeat at Waterloo. This code in a way accelerated the process of ending the feudalism in Western and Central


36


Europe and that laid the foundation for a modern nation-state. The Code was adopted throughout much of Europe and remained in force after Napoleon’s defeat.

The Napoleonic Code has served as the model for more than twenty civil code countries (as opposed to common law countries) such as Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and others.

Today, the Napoleonic Code continues to influence the lives of ordinary people in nearly all parts of the world. Napoleon was right. His legacy did not turn out to be any particular military victory, but rather his vision to create a clear and logical

single set of laws that fairly applied to everyone.


37



Describe the important environmental movements which took place in Post – independent India and their causes. ( 10 marks, 150 words )

Model Answer

Some of the important environmental movements in Post-independent India are:–

Chipko Movement:– A forest conservation movement which began in 1973 in Uttrakhand against uncontrolled commercial logging under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Sundar Lal Bahuguna. It was essentially non-violent and Gandhian in nature which also comes under eco-feminist trend. It was mainly against the illegal commercial logging in the area.

Appiko Movement:– Similar in nature, scope and cause to the Chipko movement which began in 1983 in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka under the leadership of Pandurang Hedge.

Narmada Bachao Andolan:– A social movement against the number of large dams being built across the Narmada river under the leadership of Medha Patkar and Baba Amte in 1985. Their mode of the campaign includes court actions, hunger strikes, rallies and gathering support from notable film and art personalities. This movement was against the inequitable distribution of resources and challenged the dominant model of development.

Some other important environmental movements include Silent Valley Movement, Jungle Bachao Andolan, Save the Western Ghat, Beej Bachao Andolan, etc ( prepare in details by yourself ).


38



’’The Continental Blockade was a misconceived idea of economically defeating great Britain’’. Elucidate.(10 marks, 150 words )

Model Answer

The Continental System or Continental Blockade was the foreign policy of Napoleon I of France against the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon issued the Berlin Decree on 21 November 1806, which brought into effect a large-scale embargo against British trade. This was followed by Milan

decree in 1807.

Why it was a misconceived idea of economically defeating great Britain :-

British merchants smuggled in many goods and the Continental System was not a powerful weapon of economic war. In terms of economic damage to the UK, the blockade was largely ineffective;

Though there was some damage to British trade, but its control of the oceans led to replacement trade with North and South America, as well as large scale smuggling in Europe;

In order to enforce his decrees, Napoleon invaded a number of countries like Spain, Russia etc which ultimately resulted in his defeat and downfall;

Britain blockade of France was more successful rather than the continental system because of strong British navy in comparison to France;

Britain was a supplier of many high quality products at competitive prices and most of the European countries including France depended on Britain for it. But due to continental system, people of Europe as well as french turned against Napoleon.

Thus, it can be concluded that though Britain faced some losses due to Continental system but overall, it was a misconceived idea of defeating Britain economically and became one of the prime reasons for the downfall of Napoleon.


39



Why did India adopt the policy of Non-Alignment. Discuss the significance of Non-Alignment movement in today’s global politics. (15 marks, 250 words )

Model Answer

Post World War II, the NAM was founded as an international movement with idea of creating a grouping of like-minded countries that believed in the concept of a level-playing field in global geo-politics and world strategy, thereby not being formally aligned with any power bloc.

Reasons behind India’s adoption of Non-aligned movement

Opposition of cold war and keeping away from power politics Opposition to military alliance Need for Independent foreign policy For the all round development of the country, for ex- USSR helped in

Bokaro steel plant, Germany helped in Rourkela steel plant, import of

wheat from USA etc.

Significance of Non-Aligned Movement in today’s global politics

It is widely assumed that with the end of cold war, the NAM has lost its relevance. However, its philosophy and principles will remain relevant until sustainable global justice and peace is established. From the outset of movement, NAM declared general and complete disarmament under effective international control to be one of their main objectives. The relevance of NAM continues as it looks after the interest of all Third World countries for which the movement was created.

However, NAM today, is starting to lose its importance due to its inefficiency in utilizing its influence on the member countries. The emergence of multi-polar world and NAM’s losing significance in India’s foreign policy and other members is pointing towards its closure.

Despite that, it must be noted that movement comprising 120 countries can be a great instrument for global challenges such as democratic reforms in international organizations (UNSC reforms), terrorism, climate change, global inequality,


40


international trafficking etc. It offers a platform for increased south-south cooperation.


41



Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause of Indian Unity? ( 10 marks, 150 words )

Model Answer

India was fragmented into 565 princely states and a number of provinces when it became free. After independence and their integration with India, there began the process of organising them into politically and economically viable administrative units.

First the Dhar commission, and then the JVP commission rejected the reorganization of states on linguistic basis but Fazl Ali commission in 1953 accepted the basis of language while giving primacy to administrative convenience and in this way, Andhra Pradesh became the first state to be formed on linguistic basis followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra etc.

How the formation of linguistic states strengthened the cause of Indian unity –

Creating linguistic states helped each state to officially patronize its language. People were assured that their culture & language were secure, had no problem in learning other languages or appreciating other cultures out of their own free-will.

By accepting diversity instead of seeking to level it, India had indirectly strengthened the federal fabric of the nation and forestalled escalation of region-centric grievances into violent forms. It helped in strengthening unity within the nation.

Many states formed on the linguistic basis have been forerunners of development in the country and has contributed in its unity and integrity by bringing economic prosperity. For example – Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc.

It has enabled the preservation of local customs, cultures and festivals and over time, people of one state has started to cherish these things of other states contributing to strengthening of Indian nationhood.

It has also contributed to promotion of vernacular languages, primary education in vernacular language, peoples’ participation in the democratic process due to use of their local languages etc thus in a sense,


42


strengthening the roots of Indian democracy and adding to its cause of Unity.

Other examples of other neighbour countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan also points towards the same. For example – In case of Sri Lanka, imposition of a majority language over minority Tamils led to prolonged civil war and loss of thousands of lives and still peace eludes the country. In case of Pakistan, crushing of Bengali speaking citizens led to independence of Bangladesh. Whereas in India, linguistic reorganisation has added to the

strength of nation and its unity and integrity.

However, there are also downsides of this linguistic reorganisation like –

Sons of the soil doctrine and attack on outsiders like attack on Hindi speaking people in Maharashtra by Marathi speaking activists for political gains.

Conflicts over interstate river dispute, inter state boundary disputes etc also witness the mobilisation of people on the linguistic lines and the resultant violence and arson which raises question mark over linguistic organisation. For example – Violence and conflicts witnessed between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over Cauvery water.

On the whole, the linguistic organisation of states have strengthened the cause of Unity and integrity barring few instances here and there and it has prevented the balkanization of India which was forecasted by many western political commentators.


43



‘’The roots of the chartist movement in Great Britain were partly political and partly economic.’’ Comment. ( 10 marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

The broad framework for this answer includes –

Introduction – Briefly mention about Chartist movement and its aims. Also,

mention Peoples’ charter of 1838 which included 6 demands like –

1. A Vote for every man above 21; 2. Secret Ballots; 3. No property qualifications over MPs; 4. Salaries for MPs; 5. Equal constituencies and 6. Annual Parliament.

Political roots of the Chartist movement:–

Reforms movement (political demands) which culminated in 1832 reform act was supported by both the middle class and working class but it satisfied the demands of only middle class and not working class, so, roots of Chartist movement can be traced in this dissatisfaction of working class.

Subsequent reform acts like Poor Law Amendment act 1834 as came as a set back for the working class.

Economic roots of the movement:–

Issues of low wages, high working hours, unemployment, inflation especially of necessary goods, exploitations in factories, increasing the gulf between rich and poor, increasing competition from machine-made goods, a series of bad harvests and fiscal crises in the 1830s etc.

Thus, it can be concluded that the roots of the Chartist movement were partly economic and partly political.


44


05-Feb-2018 – Question 1

The year 1848 in Europe is sometimes called the Peoples’ spring. Elaborate. ( 10

Marks, 150 words )

Model Answer

The Year 1848 in Europe is the year of second 19th century European revolution after 1830 revolution and the term Peoples’ spring refers to popular revolts and major protests in almost all Europe except 2 major regions of Great Britain and Russia.These began in France but affected virtually every country except England and Russia. It impacted Germany, Italy, Austria, France etc.

Such widespread and universal popular participation was unprecedented in Europe, and most of the historians consider that though popular participation was there in French revolution of 1789, 1830 revolution throughout Europe and the Chartist movement during the 1838-48 but such widespread popular uprisings were absent and in European history, such peoples’ spring happened in future and not in the past and that too in Eastern European revolutions of 1989.

Such widespread popular uprising began in France and spread to Italian states, German states, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and elsewhere and resulted into overthrow of monarchies, declaration of independence and proclamation of new

constitution.

However, all of the 1848 revolutions failed and within a few years their accomplishments were reversed. But the 1848 revolts further propagated the seeds of democracy and nationalism that were sown by the French revolution of 1789.


45



Throw light on the disintegration of empires in the face of rise of nationalism across the Europe in the 19th and first half of 20th century. ( 15 marks, 250 words)

Model Answer

Part I ( Rise of Nationalism )

The ideology of nationalism in the late 18th century was essentially the product of French revolution and the growing Napoleonic empire. Most historians consider that nationalism emanated from one of the three ideals of French revolution that was liberty and nationalism further strengthened by the 19th century European revolutions of 1830, 1848 and further by nation-building process in Germany and Italy and further by European thinkers and philosophers and in the First half of 20th century, USA president Woodrow Wilson presented the idea of nationalism as the major point of his famous 14 points and accepted this as a basis for territorial rearrangement after the war.

Part II ( Disintegration of the empires)

In this part, briefly explain how the rise of nationalism led to the downfall of a

number of empires like:-

Napoleonic empire ( Fall in 1814 -15) Austrian – Hungary Empire ( 1870 -71) Fall of Ottoman empire – due to Balkan nationalism World war I and Paris peace conference – Fall of Russian empire (

Independence of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania etc) Fall of Austrian- Hungary Empire again Fall of German empire mainly the European part.


46



The battle of Shadowa (1866) was one of the shortest and the most decisive wars in European history. Elucidate. ( 10 Marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

The Battle of Sadowa was one of the most decisive battles of the Austro – Prussian War, in which Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire in 1866. This battle was part of the Austro – Prussian war which lasted for 7 weeks only.

The Battle of Sadowa (1866) was one of the most decisive because:-

This battle decided the Seven Weeks War ( Austro-Prussian War) and marked the end of Austrian influence in Germany. Prussian domination in north Germany was confirmed.

The idea of ‘’Little Germany’’ got a further impetus. The battle paved the way for German Unification and Italian Unification. The French plan to intervene in Austro – Prussian war could not fructify.

The whole French plan collapsed. With the battle of Sadowa, began the rise of Prussia as a great power which

got confirmed in the battle of Sedan (1870) and in the end, Europe lost a mistress (French domination) and gained a master (Prussian domination).


47



Socialist Revolution was expected in an industrially advanced country, but it occurred in an industrially backward country like Russia. How do you explain this paradox. ( 150 words, 10 marks)

Model Answer

The structure of this answer consists of 3 parts

Part I – Ideas of socialist revolution

Proletariat all over the world will unite and raise this revolution. This will destroy Bourgeoisie order and create their order. Marx visualised it in an industrially advanced country because of contradiction which exists in such countries between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat.

Part 2 – Why Socialist revolution did not take place in an industrially advanced country

Though there existed deep contradictions in an industrially advanced country between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat, industrial advancement was also accompanied by liberal constitutionalism and reforms like in Britain, France,

Germany etc which averted any socialist revolution.

Part 3 – Why Socialist revolution in an industrially backward country like Russia

Typical Russian industries were massive industrial units, all stages of production under one roof and these units confined to a few regions like Moscow, St. Petersberg, etc, so, high concentration of all types of labour in a few pockets, so, effective mobilisation of labour became possible.

Labour in Russia was a part worker and part peasant i.e. labour had strong roots in villages unlike British or French labour and so they were oppressed in two ways – one as peasants and second as workers. This resulted in high discontent, providing congenial ground for the Socialist revolution.

In addition, add general points like political factors, socio-economic factors, cultural factors, problems due to world war I etc and elaborate them to show how it led to Socialist revolution in Russia.


48



”Long march” is a landmark in the Chinese Communist theory. Throw light on the role of Mao from the ”Long march” to Chinese Communist

Revolution(1949)”. (150 Words, 10 Marks)

Model Answer

Part 1 – Introducing ‘’Long March’’

The Long March(October 1934 – October 1936) was a military retreat undertaken by the Red Army of the Communist Party of China, to evade the pursuit of the Kuomintang army. There was not one Long March, but a series of marches. The best known is the march from Jiangxi province which began in October 1934. The Communists, under the eventual command of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, escaped in a circling retreat to the west and north, which reportedly traversed over 9,000 kilometers (5600 miles) over 370 days.The route passed through some of the most difficult terrain of western China by traveling west, then north, to Shaanxi.

Part 2 – Role of Mao from the ”Long march” to Chinese Communist revolution

New ideological orientation – Idea of peasant armed struggle Peasant mobilisation by converting peasantry into soldiers and creating Red

army and Red guards Pro -people reforms in new areas under communist control ( like land

distribution) creating a popular support base Mobilisation of military and fighting war with Kuomintang in which finally

emerged as Victorious in 1949.


49



The impact of Industrial Revolution can be seen in the realm of ideas also.

Elucidate. (150 words, 10 marks)

Model Answer

Part 1 (Introducing Industrial revolution )

The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. This transition included going from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam power, the development of machine tools and the rise of the factory system.

Part 2 ( Impact of Industrial revolution in the areas other than realm of ideals)

Industrial revolution influenced all the fields like economic, social, political etc which is reflected in the rise of the factory system, great impetus to production processes, rise of new social classes like industrial capitalists, modern labour, the growth of trade unionism etc.

Part 3 (Impact of Industrial revolution in the realm of ideals)

The industrial revolution brought set back for monopolistic thinking, rise of industrial capitalism, the growth of Laissez Faire, liberalism, utilitarianism, ideas of

imperialism, socialism, anarchism etc.


50



The First world war was considered as ”a war to end all wars”. Give views.

Model Answer

” A war to end all wars” was a term for the First World War of 1914–1918. Originally it was used idealistically. During August 1914, immediately after the outbreak of the world war I, British author H. G. Wells published a number of articles in London newspapers that subsequently appeared as a book entitled ‘’The War That Will End War’’. Wells blamed the Central Powers for the coming of the war and argued that only the defeat of German militarism could bring about an end to war.

First world war was a total war and represents a culmination of a number of events before the war which led to great destruction and involved a number of countries in the war. The war was followed by Paris Peace conference in 1919 where treaties were formulated and league of nations was created. Certain high political ideals were accepted as the principle of self-determination and all these were meant to prevent the future war. All these things became a justification for fighting a world war in order to put an end to the process of war.

But, it did not prove to a war to end all wars and Paris peace conference of 1919 itself contained seeds of future war. League of nation failed miserably to stop conflicts between different countries especially when it involved powerful countries. The whole framework of Collective security collapsed. Thus, the seeds which were sown in the Paris peace conference culminated in the outbreak of Second world war.


51



Europe in 1920s and 1930s was characterised by new social consciousness, urges and trends. Elaborate. (15 Marks, 250 words)

Model Answer

The First World War was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Over nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a result of the war. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history and precipitated new social consciousness, urges and trends. In addition, the great depression late 1920s also contributed these urges, trends and consciousness.

New social consciousness, urges and trends in 1920s and 1930s Europe:-

Revulsion against the war; Disillusionment of the middle class in Europe and they raised a question

mark over the efficacy of the war; Rise of anti-war literature in Europe; Growth of labour consciousness and trade unionism; Rise of aesthetic trends; Growth of women’s consciousness and also impetus to women’s liberation

movement; Slight fall in racist consciousness; Disillusionment of the people and they started losing faith in Capitalist

ideology after the great depression.

The 1920s and 1930s witnessed a rise of middle-class disillusionment, they put a question mark on war, on the sacrifice of such huge number of people, they raised the issue that is it rational and reasonable to sacrifice millions for the sake of some national interests.


52



Comparisons of the fascist regime of Italy with the nationalist socialist regime of Germany is almost inevitable. The similarities are obvious, but there are differences which are worth mentioning”. Comment. (15 Marks, 250 words)

Model Answer

Fascism as a rightist extreme national ideology took root in Italy and few years later in Germany. Hitler followed his own brand of fascism, which was more ruthless, is known as Nazism.

German Nazism and Italian fascism had many similarities like both:

were anti-communist, anti-democracy, believed in totalitarian state, attempted to make the country self sufficient, glorified war, emphasized the supremacy of the state.

Significant differences between fascism and Nazism:-

Rejection of the concept of race and anti-Semitism is what differentiated the Fascist ideology from Nazism the most;

Nazism spread much more deeply and widely in Germany than fascism in Italy;

The Nazi system was more efficient and successful with respect to economic self- sufficiency, elimination of unemployment;

Nazis were more brutal in their oppression and violated human rights to much great extent;

Mussolini was more successful in his policy towards church, he was able to reach an agreement with pope in 1929;

Constitutional positions of Mussolini and Hitler were different. In Italy, the monarchy had continued to exist and the King played important role in the end of Mussolini’s rule. In contrast, there was no authority above Hitler in Germany to constitutionally dismiss or arrest him.

Unlike Fascism that glorified the state as the highest ideal, Nazism considered ‘Aryanism’ as more important and viewed the state as living space of “the master race” i.e. ethnic Germans.


53



The Korean War as much an international conflict as it was internal. Comment.

(10 marks, 150 words)

Model Answer

Certainly, many nations were involved in the Korean war, and in that sense, it was a very international war. However, it should be remembered that Korea had been divided arbitrarily by the USA and USSR after world war II. The 38th parallel was made up a boundary with no historical precedent, and so, in essence, the North Korean attack might be considered part of an internal, civil war to unify a single country that shared the same culture and language and had historically been united.

The division was only made to jointly organise Japanese surrender and withdrawal in 1945. The Americans didn’t intend for permanent settlement and agreed to UN-supervised elections for the whole country, believing that since their zone contained two-third of the population, the communist north would be outvoted. Elections were held in the American controlled territory and Syngman-Rhee was appointed as the president. In the north, Russians set up a communist govt under Kim II Sung.

In 1949, Russians and Americans troops were withdrawn, leaving a potentially dangerous situation. Most Koreans bitterly resented the artificial division forced on their country by outsiders, but both rulers claimed the right to rule the whole country and were threatening to invade one another. Without warning, the North Koreans troops invaded South Korea in June 1950. With more than 6 lakh Korean soldiers deployed and an estimated 2 million civilian death in total, the conflict was very much Korean in blood.

Even though it started as a totally internal conflict, the American president Truman was convinced that the attack was Russia’s tool and therefore, decided to increase the level of US engagement. First, he sent American troops and then with approval from UN involved troops from other countries as well (UK, Australia, Canada, France etc). Even as USSR boycotted the UN session, forgoing the possibility to exercise the veto, the UN classified the attack by North Korea as the breach of peace rather than a far worse act of aggression. With UN forces overtaking whole of the peninsula, China was threatened and it sent for a


54


counter-offensive force of 3 lakh volunteers. USSR provided assistance in form of arms, aid and covert air support. As a result, an internal war now escalated to a full-scale international conflict.


55



The League of Nations was an international organisation, created after the

World War I to provide a forum for resolving international disputes. Did League

of Nations achieve its objectives ? Give reasons for your arguments. (10 marks,

150 words)


56



Even though there is much that is wrong with European Union, its achievements

cannot be discounted either. Elucidate. ( 10 marks, 150 words)


Documents

90 Days UPSC Mains Optional Answer Writing Initiative · 2018-10-05 · industry that is, in the making of cotton, silk and woolen goods. In Indian towns, the artisans and craftsmen