Tag: civics

The author of 'A Nation in the Making' was Surendanath Banerjee. It is his autobiography and also a commentary on public life. It was published in 1925.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was the first national leader to raise the issue of the salt tax in the Imperial Legislative Council, arguing that it was a regressive tax on the poor.

Mahatma Gandhi held Gokhale in high regard, famously describing him as the 'Ganges' of Indian politics, symbolizing purity and a source of inspiration.

The National Liberal Federation was founded by Surendranath Banerjee and other moderate leaders who left the Indian National Congress after the rise of the extremist faction.

The majority of the moderate leaders were educated professionals, such as lawyers, journalists, and teachers, who were concentrated in urban centers like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.

• Chittaranjan Das, a revolutionary freedom fighter, was endearingly called ‘Deshabandhu’ (Friend of the Nation). Born on 5 November 1870 in Calcutta, he belonged to an upper middle-class family of Telirbagh, in Dacca district.
• Chittaranjan’s patriotic ideas were greatly influenced by his father, Bhuban Mohan Das, a reputed Solicitor of the Calcutta High Court. It was Bankim Chandra who influenced him in his political ideas. It was not before 1917 that Das came to the forefront of nationalist politics. In that year he was invited to preside over the Bengal Provincial Conference held at Bhowanipore. His political career was brief but meteoric. In the course of only eight years he rose to all-India fame by virtue of his intense patriotism, sincerity and oratorical power.

The economic issues raised by the Early Nationalists were:

1. Reduction in land revenue and protection of peasants against unjust demands of the zamindars (hereditary land owners).
2. Reduction in expenditure on the army, and the money thus saved to be spent on welfare activities such as health and education.
3. An enquiry into India's growing poverty and famines.
4. Availability of cheap credit to peasants through agricultural banks.
5. Development of banking, irrigation, medical and health facilities for the people.
6. Industrial growth through trade protection. That meant that a heavy tax should be imposed on imported goods and the government should give loans for the development of iron, coal, paper and sugar industries in India.
7. Total abolition of the salt tax and the duty on sugar.

Womesh Chandra Bannerjee was the first Indian to contest an election to the British House of Commons in 1892, although he was unsuccessful.

Moderates believed in constitutional and peaceful methods. They aimed at administrative and constitutional reforms and  wanted more Indians in the administration. To bring political awareness among the people they held meetings and discussions on social, economic and cultural matters. The early Nationalists used press for criticizing the worng policies of the government.  

Naoroji published Poverty and un-British Rule in India in 1901. His book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India brought attention to the draining of India's wealth into Britain. He was also a member of the Second International along with Kautsky and Plekhanov.