Tag: early nationalists

From 1885 to 1905, the Congress was led by a group of leaders known as the Early Nationalists. The members of this group were drawn from the educated middle class consisting of professionals like lawyers, barristers, teachers and officials, who drew inspiration from Western Liberal and Radical thoughts.

The social ills in Early Nationalists phase were:

• Sati
• Untouchability
• Child marriage

They believed that the British rule had many benefits for example: it aided in cleansing social ills like sati, untouchability and child marriage.

• The Early Nationalists had faith in the sense of justice, fair play, honesty and integrity of the British.
• It was their hope that the British would grant Home Rule to Indians.
• They relied on the solemn pledges made by the British government.
• They believed that the British rule had many benefits for example: it aided in cleansing social ills like sati, untouchability and child marriage.

The efforts of the early Nationalists led to  the following reforms:

• The appointment of a Public Service Commission in 1886.
• A resolution of the House of Commons (1893)  for simultaneous examination for the ICS in London and India.
• Appointment of the Welby Commission on Indian Expenditure (1895).
• The Indian Councils Act of 1892.                                     

These achievements of the Early Nationalists served a base for the national movement in later year.

The Early Nationalists leaders who led the Congress and the National Movement from 1885 to 1905 were staunch believers in open-minded and moderate politics. They believed in loyalty to the British Crown. B.C. Pal an early nationalists leader, said in 1887, "I am loyal to the British government because with me loyalty to the British government is identical with loyalty to my own people and my own country".

Servants of India Society was founded in 1915 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Its aim was to unite and train Indians of different ethnicities and religions in welfare work. It was the first secular organization in that country to devote itself to the underprivileged, rural and tribal people, and other social causes.

Dadabhai Naoroji’s mentioned the concept of drain of wealth from India during British rule in his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. He made an estimate of drain which was around Rs 8 million. He observed that the drain consists of the remittances by European Officials, their expenditure in England, pensions and salaries paid in England, etc.

Dadabhai Naoroji’s mentioned the concept of drain of wealth from India during British rule in his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. He made an estimate of drain which was around Rs 8 million. He observed that the drain consists of the remittances by European Officials, their expenditure in England, pensions and salaries paid in England, etc.