To what extent were economic reforms the main cause of the War of 10 Independence in 1857?

Explain
your answer.
e.g.
Economic reforms
• The British imposed high taxation to exploit India’s wealth. Peasants
and small landowners could not afford this, so many fell into poverty.
Resentment grew because of the resulting starvation and suffering;
• The Sepoys were discontented because they did not get a fair deal.
Their salaries were very low in comparison with those of the British soldiers and they had little chance of
promotion. They were also angry over the lack of payment of extra allowances for service in newly
conquered territories like Sindh;
• The East India Company banned the export of cotton from India in 1800. This had a negative impact on
many Indian communities who relied on making and selling cotton increasing poverty and also
opposition towards the British.
Religious reasons
• Christian missionaries came to India to convert the local population and
set up schools. In these schools, the missionaries taught Christianity and expected local religions to be
given up which was resented by the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities.
• The British introduced a new gun that used cartridges coated in grease made from cow and pig fat.
The soldiers had to rip open the cartridges with their teeth before loading. This caused great resentment
as it was contrary to religious beliefs for both Muslim and Hindu communities and united them against
the British.

Explain why the Lucknow Pact of 1916 was made. [7]

(Past Paper, November 2000: Q3/b)
[Muslims’ New Strategy] When Bengal was partitioned in 1905, Hindus reacted
against the decision and they went on violent protests and boycotts of British goods. On
the other hand, the Muslims remained loyal to the British rule. The British could not
sustain the pressure of demonstrations and reversed the decision of partition in 1911.
This was a betrayal to the Muslims’ loyalty. They realized the British rulers could no
longer be trusted. Now they had to devise a new strategy for achieving their goals. They
wanted to turn towards the demand of self-rule but they needed constitutional protection
– separate electorate and provincial autonomy – from Hindus after the British would
leave India. Muslim League, therefore, signed the Lucknow Pact in 1916 in which
Congress agreed on granting the Muslims 1/3 reserved seats in the central legislative
council.

[Jinnah’s Role] At the time of the pact, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was an idealist who
believed that Hindus and Muslims could work together. He wanted that all religious
groups should live together in harmony. He was a strong supporter of Hindu-Muslim
unity. He believed that joint demands would put more pressure on the British. Therefore
he persuaded the Congress and the Muslim League for the Lucknow Pact in 1916. He
believed that this pact would lead to united Indian nation.
(Note: Mr. Jinnah became realist after Nehru Report in 1929 who then believed in the
two-nation theory).

[Joint Demand] Congress was keen to gain the support of Muslim League for its
demand of self-rule in India. It hoped that it would be difficult for the British to reject the
joint demand of self-rule for longer time. Therefore, it was ready to give concessions to
Muslim League for its own objective of home-rule. That is why Congress went into
Lucknow Pact with Muslim League in 1916.

Explain why the Lucknow Pact of 1916 was made. [7]

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons
The Muslims and Hindus wanted to work together on constitutional reform. The Muslim League and the
Congress agreed to co-operate to persuade the British government to accept their demands. The
Lucknow Pact was an agreement on a scheme of constitutional reforms reached between Congress and
the Muslim League. Both realised that co-operation was the only way to get the British government to
agree to self-rule. For the first time Hindus acknowledged that Muslims had the right to a separate
electorate and was therefore seen as a beacon of hope for the future. They believed that by holding the
sessions of both the Congress and the Muslim League in one place, feelings of goodwill and friendship
would be generated between the two communities.