Imperialism, Independence and Partition

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Imperialism, Independence and Partition

• From Bad to Worse?

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India 1857
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The British Players
Prime Minister Atlee
Lord Mountbatten
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One thing is granted, namely, that this
government does not suit us. As has been said by
an eminent statesman - the government of one
country by another can never be a successful, and
therefore, a permanent government. There is no
difference of opinion about this fundamental
proposition between the old and new schools. One
fact is that this alien government has ruined the
country. In the beginning, all of us were taken
by surprise. We were almost dazed. We thought
that everything that the rulers did was for our
good and that this English government has
descended from the clouds to save us from the
invasions of Tamerlane and Chingis Khan
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1907)
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The Muslim Fear
If there is any eminent leader in India who is in
favour of driving out the English from this
country, then I am that leader. In spite of this
I want that there should be no fight with the
English on behalf of the Muslim League. Our big
fight is with the 22 crores of our Hindu enemies,
who constitute the majority. Only 4 1/2 crores of
Englishmen have practically swallowed the whole
world by becoming powerful. And if these 22
crores of Hindus who are equally advanced in
learning, intelligence and wealth as in numbers,
if they become powerful, then these Hindus will
swallow Muslim India and gradually even Egypt,
Turkey, Kabul, Mecca, Medina and other Muslim
principalities, like Yajuj-Majuj (it is so
mentioned in Koran that before the destruction of
the world, they will appear on the earth and will
devour whatever they will find). The English
are gradually becoming weak. . . .they will go
away from India in the near future. So if we do
not fight the greatest enemies of Islam, the
Hindus, from now on and make them weak, then they
will not only establish Ramraja in India but also
gradually spread all over the world. It depends
on the 9 crores of Indian Muslims either to
strengthen or to weaken them (the Hindus). So it
is the essential duly of every devout Muslim to
fight on by joining the Muslim League so that the
Hindus may not be established here and a Muslim
rule may be established in India as soon as the
English depart.
Maulana Azad Sobhani (1939)
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The Indian Players
Nehru
Gandhi
Jinnah
Hear them.
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Gandhi Self-Rule

• Education
• Work in South Africa against Black Laws
• Passive resistance
• Self-reliance
• Indian National Congress

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Gandhi On Passive Resistance
Whether I go beyond the laws or whether I do
not is a matter of no consequence to either of
us. We simply want to find out what is right and
to act accordingly. The real meaning of the
statement that we are a law-abiding nation is
that we are passive resisters. When we do not
like certain laws, we do not break the heads of
law-givers but we suffer and do not submit to the
laws. It is contrary to our manhood if we obey
laws repugnant to our conscience. Such teaching
is opposed to religion and means slavery. From
Indian Home Rule (1909)
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Nehru Independence with Unity

• Education/familial history
• Irish Republican Movement
• India National Congress
• Ties to Mountbatten lead to PMship

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Nehrus Diplomacy
"We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is
ultimately to be decided by the people. That
pledge we have given, and the Maharaja has
supported it not only to the people of Kashmir
but the world. We will not, and cannot back out
of it. We are prepared when peace and law and
order have been established to have a referendum
held under international auspices like the United
Nations. We want it to be a fair and just
reference to the people, and we shall accept
their verdict. I can imagine no fairer and juster
offer." From an October 1947 telegram regarding
Kashmiri conflict to the British Prime Minister
But a majority which ignores the minority is not
functioning in the true spirit of the
Parliamentary democracy''
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Jinnah Muslim Sovereignty

• Background
• Indian National Congress
• Muslim League
• First Governor-General of Pakistan

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Jinnah Quaid-e-Azam of Pakistan
Nehru Architect of Modern India
"The creation of the new state has placed a
tremendous responsibility on the citizens of
Pakistan. It gives them an opportunity to
demonstrate to the world how a nation containing
many elements can live in peace and amity and
work for the betterment of all its citizens
irrespective of caste or creed. Our object should
be peace within, and peace without. We want to
live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly
relations with our immediate neighbours and with
the world at large." Radio address from Lahore,
August 15, 1947 Listen
And so we have to labour and to work, and work
hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams
are for India, but they are also for the world,
for all nations and peoples are too closely knit
together today for any one of them to imagine it
can live apart. Peace has been said to be
indivisible so is freedom, so is prosperity now,
and so also is disaster in this One World that
can no longer be split into isolated
fragments. Speech on the Granting of Indian
Independence, August 14, 1947
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August 15, 1947

• Independence and Partition

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Independence PartitionAugust 14 - 15, 1947
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Partition
500,000 to 1.5 million dead
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Fate of Pakistan

• Secular or religious state?
• Central or provincial rule?
• Early problems boundaries