Major Political Developments (1911-1914)

• The annulment of the Partition of Bengal, while celebrated as a nationalist victory, was primarily a strategic decision by the British. It was aimed at:
  • Appeasing Bengali sentiment: Which had fueled intense agitation and revolutionary activity.
  • Rallying Moderate support: By showing responsiveness to persistent constitutional demands.
  • Creating new divisions: The simultaneous reorganization (separating Bihar, Orissa, and Assam) was a way to dilute the political influence of the reunited Bengal.
• It demonstrated that sustained popular pressure could force the British to retreat, but also that imperial strategies of control were constantly being adapted.

• Moving the capital to Delhi was a powerful symbolic act.
  • Legitimizing British Rule: By occupying the historical seat of Indian empires, the British sought to project themselves as the legitimate successors and rulers of India.
  • Strategic Advantage: Delhi offered a more central location for administering the vast empire and was less susceptible to the intense political ferment of Calcutta.
  • Weakening Bengali Influence: It aimed to reduce the political and administrative dominance of Calcutta and the Bengali intelligentsia.
• The grandeur of New Delhi's architecture was intended to be a lasting monument to British imperial power.

• The period 1908-1914 is often seen as a relative lull in mass nationalist activity compared to the Swadeshi era. This was due to:
  • Severe repression of Extremists and revolutionaries.
  • The Surat Split weakening the Congress.
  • The Morley-Minto Reforms, which, despite their inadequacy, co-opted some Moderate energy.
• However, this lull was deceptive. Under the surface:
  • Revolutionary groups continued their activities.
  • Communal politics was gaining ground (Muslim League, impact of separate electorates).
  • The Home Rule idea was beginning to germinate (inspired by Irish Home Rule).
  • Economic grievances persisted.
• This period effectively set the stage for the resurgence of mass nationalism during and after World War I, especially with the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi.

• The developments between 1911 and 1914 created a political vacuum and a sense of anticipation.
  • The limitations of both Moderate and Extremist (first phase) methods had become apparent.
  • The annulment of partition showed that popular pressure could yield results.
  • The rise of communalism highlighted the need for a more inclusive and unifying nationalist approach.
• This context was crucial for the ready acceptance of Mahatma Gandhi's novel methods of struggle when he returned to India in 1915. The stage was set for a new leader and a new phase of mass mobilization.

With reference to the Indian freedom struggle, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

• (a) Hakim Ajmal Khan was one of the leaders who started the Home Rule Movement.
• (b) The Rowlatt Act aroused a wave of popular indignation and led to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
• (c) Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc.
• (d) The Partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911.

Hint: Statement (d) is correct and directly relates to this topic. Hakim Ajmal Khan was a prominent nationalist but not a primary initiator of the Home Rule Movement.

What was the immediate cause for the launch of the Swadeshi Movement?

• (a) The partition of Bengal done by Lord Curzon.
• (b) A sentence of 18 months rigorous imprisonment imposed on Lokmanya Tilak.
• (c) The arrest and deportation of Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh; and passing of the Punjab Colonization Bill.
• (d) Death sentence pronounced on the Chapekar brothers.

Hint: The Swadeshi Movement was a direct response to the Partition of Bengal. The annulment of this partition is a key event in this topic (8.8).

The Younghusband Mission to Tibet was sent by which Viceroy?

• (a) Lord Curzon
• (b) Lord Minto
• (c) Lord Hardinge
• (d) Lord Chelmsford

Hint: Lord Curzon's viceroyalty ended in 1905. Lord Hardinge II (1910-1916) was the Viceroy during the annulment of Partition and shift of capital. This tests viceregal tenures.

The crisis of the colonial order in the late nineteenth century was reflected in the rise of militant nationalism in India. Explain.

Direction: The Partition of Bengal was a high point of Curzon's imperial policies, which contributed to the "crisis." The annulment later can be seen as a response to the militant nationalism that the crisis spawned.

The Indian National Congress at its Surat Session in 1907, split into two groups, Extremists and Moderates. What were the issues that led to the split? What was its impact on the national movement?

Direction: The lull in nationalist activity post-Surat Split, the repression of Extremists, and the British attempt to rally Moderates (leading to Morley-Minto Reforms) form the backdrop to the developments of 1911-1914. The annulment of partition was, in part, an attempt to address the fallout of the Swadeshi-era agitations.

Analyze the factors that led to the annulment of the Partition of Bengal in 1911 and the decision to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi. What were the broader political implications of these decisions?

Direction:

• Annulment Factors: Intense anti-partition agitation (Swadeshi, Boycott), rise of revolutionary terrorism, desire to placate nationalist sentiment, opportune moment of Royal visit.
• Capital Shift Factors: Delhi's historical symbolism, strategic location, Calcutta's association with nationalism.
• Broader Political Implications:
  • Demonstrated the power of sustained popular protest.
  • Partially mollified Bengali sentiment but new provincial arrangements still aimed at administrative control.
  • Alienated some Muslim leaders who had supported the partition.
  • Shift of capital as an assertion of imperial permanence and a move away from the politically turbulent Bengal.
  • Set a new stage for imperial governance and future nationalist activities centered around Delhi.

The annulment of the Partition of Bengal and the decision to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi were announced by King George V during which event?

• (a) The Queen's Proclamation of 1858
• (b) The Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress in 1906
• (c) The Delhi Durbar of 1911
• (d) The signing of the Morley-Minto Reforms in 1909

Explanation: Both the annulment of the Partition of Bengal and the shifting of the capital to Delhi were announced by King George V at the grand Delhi Durbar held in December 1911.

Which of the following was NOT a primary reason for the British decision to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911?

• (a) Delhi's historical significance as a seat of imperial power.
• (b) To promote industrial development in the northern plains.
• (c) Calcutta's growing association with intense nationalist agitation and revolutionary activities.
• (d) Delhi's more central geographical location within British India.

Explanation: While infrastructural development around Delhi followed, promoting industrial development in the northern plains was not a primary driver for the capital shift. The reasons were mainly symbolic, strategic, and aimed at distancing the government from the politically volatile environment of Calcutta.

"The twin decisions of annulling the Partition of Bengal and shifting the capital to Delhi in 1911 were strategic masterstrokes by the British, aimed at simultaneously pacifying nationalist sentiment and reasserting imperial authority." Critically evaluate this statement.

Key Points/Structure:

• Introduction: Briefly state the two decisions and the assertion about British strategy.
• Pacifying Nationalist Sentiment (Annulment of Partition):
  • Acknowledge it as a response to prolonged agitation (Swadeshi, revolutionary activities).
  • How it was seen as a victory for nationalism.
  • Intention to curb unrest and rally Moderate support.
• Reasserting Imperial Authority (Shift of Capital & Nuances of Annulment):
  • Shift to Delhi: Symbolic move to an ancient imperial seat, projecting permanence and power. Construction of New Delhi as an imperial statement. Distancing from Calcutta's nationalist hub.
  • Nuances of Annulment: While Bengal was reunited linguistically, the creation of Bihar & Orissa as a separate province, and Assam remaining separate, effectively reduced Bengali demographic and political influence in the new Bengal province. This can be seen as a more subtle way of achieving some of the original partition's aims.
  • The annulment disappointed some Muslim leaders, potentially fostering communal divides further.
• Critical Evaluation:
  • Assess the extent to which pacification was achieved (Bengali Hindus largely placated, but some Muslims alienated).
  • Analyze the success in reasserting authority (Delhi's symbolism, but nationalism continued).
  • Consider the long-term impacts on communal relations and the nationalist movement.
• Conclusion: Conclude whether these were indeed "masterstrokes." While they did address immediate crises and sought to reconfigure imperial control, they also had unintended consequences and did not halt the underlying growth of nationalism.

Assess the political climate in India on the eve of World War I (1914). How did the developments between 1911 and 1914 set the stage for the next phase of the Indian nationalist movement?

Key Points/Structure:

• Introduction: Briefly characterize the period as one of transition and underlying tensions despite an apparent lull.
• Political Climate on Eve of WWI:
  • Nationalist Movement: Post-Swadeshi lull, INC dominated by Moderates, Extremist leadership scattered (Tilak still imprisoned until mid-1914). Revolutionary activities continued but were suppressed.
  • Communal Politics: Muslim League active, impact of separate electorates being felt, Muslim disappointment over annulment of partition.
  • British Policies: Annulment of Partition and capital shift (their impact). Morley-Minto reforms in operation, generally seen as inadequate.
  • Economic Conditions: Ongoing grievances related to poverty, exploitation.
  • International Scene: Growing tensions in Europe.
• Setting the Stage for Next Phase (Gandhian Era):
  • Disillusionment with Existing Methods: Limitations of Moderate constitutionalism and early revolutionary methods were becoming apparent, creating space for new leadership and strategies.
  • Need for Mass Mobilization: The Swadeshi movement, despite its decline, had shown the potential of mass involvement.
  • Hindu-Muslim Unity Efforts (though challenged): Some recognition of the need for unity (e.g., future Lucknow Pact).
  • Return of Leaders: Tilak's release in 1914.
  • Gandhi's Impending Arrival (Jan 1915): His experiences in South Africa with Satyagraha were known, and his return was anticipated by some.
  • Impact of WWI: The war itself would create new political and economic conditions (e.g., Home Rule Leagues, increased demands for self-government in return for war support).
• Conclusion: The period 1911-1914 was a deceptive calm before the storm. While overt mass agitation had subsided, the underlying nationalist aspirations and the political and communal dynamics were shaping a new context. The British attempts at reconciliation and reassertion had mixed results, and the stage was being set for the entry of Mahatma Gandhi and the transformation of the freedom struggle into a truly mass-based movement, further accelerated by the outbreak of World War I.