India Imperialism to Independence

A History of Foreign Influence British East India Tea Company 1757: became dominant power of Indian –controlled 3/5 of India remaining 550 states headed by local Princes –granted favors to princes who cooperated and punished those who did not. “Jewel in the crown” Cultural Displacement 1857: Sepoy Mutiny –British gov’t took direct control of India –fueled the racist attitudes of the English

Indian Nationalist Movements 1800’s: Move towards western ideas –end to child marriages, caste system, widow suicide –With out change no hope for self government Founding of Nationalist groups –resented being a second class citizen –1885: Indian National Congress –1906: Muslim League

INC and Nationalist Movements grow Objective: obtain a greater share in gov’t for educated Indians initially not opposed to British rule Problems 1905: partition of Bengal into a Hindu & Muslim section –Heightened religious tensions –Paves way for further divides Failure of Britain to share role in gov’t after WWI –Rowlatt Act –Amritsar Massacre

Becomes leader of independence movement BR refused to punish officers in massacre Gandhi urged INC to follow policy of noncooperation with the BR gov’t Policy of Civil Disobedience 1920: Passive resistance or civil disobedience endorsed by INC –Nonviolent means to independence –Refusal to buy BR goods, attend govt schools, pay BR taxes, vote in elections –Boycott of BR cloth, urge Indians to weave own BR arrested Indians participating in strikes & demonstrations Mohandas Gandhi

Road to Independence 1930: Salt March, peaceful protest Gandhi & followers walked 240 miles to protest salt tax After-demonstrators march to BR salt processing plant –Police attacked demonstrators who refuse to defend themselves –broadcasted by American journalist –Gandhi gained worldwide support 1935: Granted self-rule Gov’t of India Act allowed local self-govt & limited democratic elections Fueled tensions between Muslims & Hindus

Differences Divide INC v. Muslim League Most Indians - Hindu ML fears Muslim interest not protected by Hindu-dominated Congress Party Proposed partition of India into separate Hindu & Muslim Nations –Gandhi opposed

1946: bloody rioting b/w religions 1947 Partition: Hindu India & Muslim East and West Pakistan –East becomes Bangladesh in 1971 People must decide which nation to join –10 million on the move, massacres of 1 million August 15, 1947: India and Pakistan become free nations

January 10, 1948: Gandhi assassinated by Hindu-extremist January 26, 1950: Republic of India new constitution created federal system with powers given to states largest democracy in the world Constitution brings change! end discrimination based on caste Attempts to reduce inequalities in status Equality b/w men and women And years of problems… religious violence & regional separatist insurgencies unresolved territorial disputes with People's Republic of China and Pakistan lead to terrorism and wars.

Leading the New Republic Jawaharlal Nehru First and longest serving PM a close associate of Gandhi supported western style industrialization Institutes mixed econ. Indira Gandhi Nehru’s daughter PM from & 4 th term b/w ending in her assassination Close relationship with USSR in Cold War Developed nuclear program

Economic Development From socialism to Free Market 1980s economic reforms fix financial problems lead to economic growth, industrialize, and capitalism –opening for international trade and investment –Deregulation and privatization of business –tax reforms and inflation-controlling measures