Hist 4538
Apr 8, 2004
Nationalist Leaders and The 1930s
April 20 and 22: Simulation of Independence Negotiations
• Goal: achieve agreed solution for shape of independence
• Preparation: familiarize yourself with your group’s personality, goals, priorities, etc
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964)
• Gandhi’s protégé
• son of Motilal Nehru, a Congress leader in early 20th c
• educated at Cambridge
• admiration for socialism, Soviet Union
• deeply secular, in both senses
• idealistic, passionate, pragmatic when necessary, charismatic
Sardar Patel (1875-1950)
• more pragmatic than Nehru
• also a British-trained lawyer
• gave up successful law practice to devote himself to Congress work
• known as Congress “Iron Man”
• great influence behind the scenes
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958)
• Bengali revolutionary
• joined INC in 1920
• INC president 1923, 1940
• staunch believer in secularism
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948)
• after leaving Congress, focused on reorganizing Muslim League
• abandoned Indian politics in 1931 for successful legal career in Britain
• deeply Westernized, deeply secular: political speeches in English
• 1934: Jinnah returned to India in 1934 to resume political career
• became League’s “sole spokesman”
• transformed League from elite organization to party with claim to represent all Muslims
Liaqat Ali Khan (1896-1951)
• 1918: graduated from Aligarh, declined ICS post
• Oxford law degree 1921
• 1923: returned to India, joined ML
• helped convince Jinnah to return to India
• 1940: secretary of ML
Dickie Mountbatten (1900-1979)
• tremendously charismatic, tremendously arrogant
• born to aristocratic Br family, royal connections
• sent to India in early 1947 as last viceroy
• legacy as viceroy controversial
1935 Government of India Act
• greater provincial autonomy
• central government still powerful: British controlled foreign affairs, defense, finance
• most in INC still committed to working with British for gradual constitutional change
1937 Elections
• INC decision to allow members to stand for election, refuse to take any seats won
• INC won majorities almost everywhere
• ML overwhelmed: won only ¼ of seats reserved for Muslims
• Muslim members of INC won the rest
• ML looked like minor party, INC looked like secular, unified body
• INC decided to take seats won, but not cooperate with these legislative bodies
• but once in office, INC reputation damaged by use of repressive measures
Bose’s Challenge
• 1938: leftist leader Subhas Chandra Bose elected INC president
• 1939: Bose re-elected, Gandhi declared this election a personal defeat
• Gandhi pressured Congress working committee to resign
• Bose forced to resign INC presidency
World War Two Begins
• 1939: Britain again declared war on India’s behalf without consultation
• INC members resign in protest—a crucial mistake?
• ML steps in to take over seats, Jinnah delighted
Argument exercise and primary source exercise
• Due Tuesday, April 13
• Argument exercise (no more than one page)
1) question you’re asking
2) three major points of evidence you’re using
3) your argument
• Primary source presentation
• bring one page to hand in to me (e.g. xerox of title page)
• be prepared to describe in class (roughly 30 seconds)
1) what the source is
2) what your topic is
3) how this source will help you prove your argument