PS-II (BLLB-202) Unit-V (2)

GOPAL KRISHNA GOKHALE

PERCEPTIONS OF NATIONALISM
 INTRODUCTION
 The development of modern Indian Political thought is closely
linked with the development of the Indian national movement.
 During the course of the national movement, two different streams
of thought appeared within the Indian National Congress prior to
the emergence of Mahatma Gandhi as a prominent political leader.
 These two streams of thought are popularly known as the Moderate
and the Extremist school.
 The early phase of Indian national movement was dominated by the
moderate thinkers such as Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade,
Dadabhai Naoroji, Pheroze shah Mehta and Gopal Krishna Gokhale
who laid down the foundations of liberal political thinking in India.
 The moderate thinkers stood for a liberal political outlook and
advocated an all-round but gradual social progress.
 They differed from the extremist thinkers like Bal Gangadhar Tilak,
Aurobindo Ghose, Bipin Chandra Pal and others with respect to
their understanding of the British rule in India.
 The Moderates appreciated and welcomed British rule in India and
believed that it would set in the process of modernisation of Indian
society.
 They insisted more on social and economic reforms as they sincerely
felt that mere political independence would mean nothing without
attaining the minimum level of social and economic progress.
 BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF GOPAL KRISHNA GOKHALE

 Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a modern Indian statesman and political

thinker, who born in a middle-class Brahmin family on May 09, 1866
in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
 Gokhale took his primary education at Kagal near Kolhapur and
completed his matriculation in 1881. In 1884 he completed his
graduation from Elphinstone College at Bombay.
 He was a student and disciple of Mahadev Govind Ranade from 1887
to 1901. Ranade accorded priority to conscience in all human activity
and placed morality at the top of politics.
 Following his footsteps, Gokhale conceded primacy of moral values in
politics, and stood for constitutional methods of political agitation.
 Gokhale became a teacher in the New English School and also became
the life-member of Deccan Education Society.
 Later he became the lecturer in Fergusson College run by the Deccan
Education Society, since then he devoted almost 18 years of his life to the
teaching field.
 Gokhale became the Secretary of the Sarvajanik Sabha—a public body to
articulate the interest of the common people lead by M.G. Ranade.
 In 1889 Gokhale attended the session of the Indian National Congress for
the first time, and since then he was a regular speaker at its meetings.
 In 1896 when Tilak and his associates captured the Sarvanjanik Sabha,
Ranade and his followers including Gokhale disassociated themselves
from the Sabha and founded a new association called the Deccan Sabha.
 In 1899 he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council. In 1902
he retired from the Fergusson College and devoted the remaining 13
years of his life to political work.
 During this period, he was elected, term after term, to the Imperial
Legislative Council where he made a mark as an eminent
Parliamentarian.
 Gokhale visited England seven times from 1897 to 1914 and he also
went to South Africa at Gandhi’s invitation in 1912 and played a
significant role in tackling the problems of Indian settled there.
Finally Gokhale died in February 1915.
 FORMATIVE INFLUENCES
 Gokhale’s ideas and thinking were influenced mainly by the leading
personalities of his time and events he experienced.
 As a product of the British educational system, Gokhale was bound
to acquire a modern outlook towards life which characterised the
English educated elite of his time.
 He was influenced by many western political thinkers, particularly
John Stuart Mill and Edmund Burke.
 The liberal philosophy of J.S. Mill made a profound impression on
him. All this had a far-reaching effect on the development of his
thinking, especially political ideas.
 Gokhale was a student of Mahadev Govind Ranade from 1887 to
1901 hence he influenced the social and economic ideas of
M.G.Ranade.
 Gokhale also had a deep respect for the sacrifice made by
nationalist leaders like B.G Tilak and others, but he was not much
attracted by their nationalist ideology and methods that is why he
moved closer to moderate thinkers at that time.
 Gokhale’s political thinking essentially represented the liberal ethos
of his time, and it was that liberalism which shaped his social and
political ideas.
 PERCEPTIONS OF NATIONALISM

 When Gokhale joined public life, India was socially in the grip of
many evil practices, and politically India was under the British rule.
 Under the prevailing conditions, Gokhale proposed that the Indians
should seek liberation from the colonial rule as their long-term goal,
but it could not be perused as their immediate goal.
 In his powerful speeches Gokhale argued that the Indians should get
rid of their evil social practices before seeking liberation from the
foreign rule, otherwise a dominant class would establish its
supremacy over the masses in a new political set up.
 He asserted that the bonds of caste and custom had bound us with
fixed ways of thinking and living. Women were also placed in a
deplorable condition in our society.
 Gokhale also opposed the ill treatment of the depressed classes
including low-caste Hindus.
 He said mere change of government would not secure freedom for
the masses; it would hardly invigorate an enslaved nation.
 A free nation consists of free individuals, that is the individuals who
are guided by an enlightened conscience, and who are not wedded
to irrational dogmas and superstitions.
 Gokhale held that the goal of nationalism in India postulates the
moral regeneration of the nation.
 He argued that man is a moral being, hence moral fulfilment is the
natural end of human life.
 Since politics is a part of human life, it cannot be separated from
morality. Each action in public life should be motivated by the moral
goal.
 Pursuit of a noble end is not enough; the means applied in this effort
should be equally noble.
 If a man persistently applies just means, its outcome shall be
regarded as just. Faith in morality equips the man with spiritual
strength which is an end-in-itself.
 A true nationalist must work for moral uplift of the masses as well
as for emancipation of the downtrodden. Servants of India Society
was formed by Gokhale in 1905, particularly to serve this purpose.
 Gokhale, like other early Indian nationalists, hoped that British
colonial rule would be instrumental in bringing about social reforms
in India. So he wanted to have continuous dialogue with the British
rulers.
 Gokhale extended full support to Swadeshi movement, but he did
not approve of clubbing it with other methods of boycott.
 Gokhale had immense faith in British liberalism, and trust in English
conscience, yet British economic policy was severely criticized by
him, because it had resulted in multiplying poverty in India.
 The British held the operation of laws of economics responsible for
this situation.
 But Gokhale argued that the operation of laws of economics should
be placed under human control in order to achieve human goals.
 He made a scathing attack on the ruling bureaucracy for the
partition of Bengal (1905).
 He wanted the bureaucracy to foster the habits of self-government
among Indians instead of focusing on efficient administration of its
policies.
 Gokhale regarded politics as the ‘art of the possible’. He argued that
a public activist should be conscious about the goal of perfection,
but he should try to achieve what is presently possible in that
direction.
 G.K. Gokhale insisted on the principles of moderation, reason and
compromise. So he stood for the constitutional method of agitation.
 It is important to note that Mahatma Gandhi adopted Gokhale’s
view on the moral foundations of politics, and declared complete
‘Swaraj’ as the goal of national movement.
LOKMANYA BAL GANGADHAR TILAK
PERCEPTIONS OF NATIONALISM
 INTRODUCTION
 Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) is known to be the greatest champion
of Indian nationalism. BG Tilak was born in a middle-class family in the Ratnagiri
district of Konkan on 23rd July 1856.
 He was an eminent journalist, educator, popular leader and a freedom fighter.
 As a prominent leader of Indian National Congress, he motivated it to adopt a
radical programme in its struggle for independence of India, and thereby gave a
new turn to Indian political thought.
 Tilak in 1881 started two weeklies, Maratha in English and Kesari in Marathi.
 Through his writing in the Kesari, he tried to make the people conscious of their
rights.
 These writing made him very popular, and he was imprisoned by the British
government around six years on the charge of sedition based on an article written
in the Kesari.
 Tilak was of the opinion that most of the evils that plagued in Indian
society were the result of foreign domination.
 The most important task, according to Tilak, was the attainment of
Swaraj which could be achieved only through the united effort of all
the people.
 He believed that social reforms could be initiated once India gained
independence.
 Culture and religion had been the basis of Tilak’s nationalism.
 He agreed Dadabhai Naoroji’s ‘Economic Drain Theory’ and
criticised the British government for exploiting the resources of the
country.
 He stated that uneven British policies destroyed the indigenous
industries, trade and art.
 Philosophical Foundation of Tilak’s Political Thought
 Tilak, along with his associates Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal,
was responsible for making a new kind of political thinking and
action in the Congress.
 Tilak wanted INC had to be transformed into a Congress of the
people.
 In fact, Tilak was a practical politician, and his main task was the
political emancipation of India.
 Tilak’s political philosophy was rooted in the Indian tradition, but it
did not reject all the western.
 He was inspired by the ancient Indian spiritual and philosophical
works. He imparted a spiritual connotation to his concept of Swaraj.
 According to Tilak, Swaraj was more than a political or economic
concept rather full self-government of political, social, economic
and spiritual.
 Every man has duties to himself, to his family, to his kith and kin and
also to his fellow beings and countrymen.
 He has to work for the moral, spiritual and material well-being of all
of them.
 However, all this would be possible only if men and women were
free from any kind of domination and control.
 Thus, Tilak’s political philosophy represented an interesting mix of
the ancient Indian value system and western liberal institutions.
 Nationalism
 Nationalism basically refers to a feeling of unity, a sense of
belonging and solidarity within a group of people.
 According to Tilak, a feeling of oneness and solidarity among people
arising mainly from their shared heritage was the vital force of
nationalism.
 Knowledge of a common heritage and pride in it fosters
psychological unity.
 Besides, he felt that by developing a feeling of common interest, a
common destiny which can be realised by united political action,
feeling of nationalism could be strengthened.
 Tilak recognized the tremendous symbolic significance of historic
and religious festivals, flags and slogans in arousing a spirit of
nationalism.
 Tilak made very effective use of such symbols. He believed that
these factors were more effective than economic factors when it
came to mobilizing people.
 Thus, Tilak propagated the use of symbols in the form of the
Ganapati and Shivaji festivals, which subsequently acquired
tremendous emotional appeal.
 Tilak regarded national education not only the means of
strengthening the sentiment of nationalism, but also an instrument
of gaining Swaraj.
 SWARAJ
 The concept of Swaraj is the keynote of Tilak’s philosophy. Tilak is often
remembered for his famous saying: “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall
have it.”
 Tilak largely used this term in the sense of national independence. Later
Mahatma Gandhi sought to expand the scope of this term so as to include
‘self-discipline’ at the individual level, and ‘self-rule’ at the national level.
 Tilak spelled out the twin objectives of Swadeshi and Swaraj as the guiding
principles of national movement.
 Tilak regarded Swaraj not only a political necessity, but also a moral
imperative.
 He argued that moral nature of man implies him to secure political
freedom which is a necessary condition for the fulfilment of his
Swadharma, that is his duty as prescribed by the sacred law according to
his innate nature.
 Nobody can attain self-realization until he is free from the restraints
imposed by a foreign rule.
 It is people’s own government which is capable of maintaining
Dharma (the sacred law) in a society, which is the source of
individual’s social as well as moral obligations. Hence attainment of
Swaraj is indispensable for moral emancipation of man.
 Tilak further argued that only Swaraj can lay the foundations of a
social order that would be conducive to social progress.
 In the absence of Swarj there can be no national education, no
social reform, no industrial progress, and no economic welfare.
Swaraj is the breeding ground of all virtues.
 In short, Tilak’s philosophy of Swaraj played a prominent role in
strengthening the national and independence movement of India.
 Tilak’s Methods/Ideology
 Tilak rejected the idea of a constitutional method in the colonial Indian
context.
 He felt that constitutional methods had meaning only under a
constitutional government.
 We had no constitution, imperial power was ruling India. Hence, there
was no question of adapting constitutional methods.
 Tilak argued that the British would never agree with anything that goes
against their interest.
 We need to bring pressure on colonial power for our demand. This
could be done by involving people in the national movement.
 Tilak demanded ‘Swaraj’ as a ‘natural right’ and not on the basis of
British assurances.
 Ends and Means
 According to Liberals, purity of ends was as important as purity of
means. They justified the purity of means on theoretical as well as
programmatic grounds.
 Tilak also did not deny that purity of means was important, but he
felt that under certain circumstances, this could not be a rigid rule.
 Means had to be adequate and appropriate according to
circumstances.
 If circumstances so demanded, we should not hesitate to use other
means to achieve the desired goal. Such means too would be
justified in the end.
 Religion and Politics
 The liberals regarded politics as a secular affair, and they kept
religion away from politics.
 Tilak also accepted the desirability of keeping politics separate from
religion in general, but not in all circumstances.
 Religion always had a powerful emotional appeal, and Tilak felt that
this powerful appeal could and should be utilized in service of
politics, particularly under the circumstances prevailing in India in
those days.
 For Tilak, the ultimate goal of the national movement was Swaraj.
 In order to involve people in the movement, he interpreted the goal
of Swaraj in religious terms and insisted that Swraj is our religious
necessity.
 Tilak held that Swaraj was a moral and religious necessity for every
man and group.
 For his moral fulfilment and for the performance of religious duties,
man needs to be free.
 Without political freedom, higher freedom is impossible. Thus,
Swaraj is our Dharma and to work for it is our Karma.
 PROGRAMME OF ACTION
 The task of the extremist leaders was fourfold-educating the people,
creating in them self-respect and pride in their own ancient
heritage, uniting them and lastly, preparing them for the struggle to
regain their lost freedom or Swaraj.
 The programme of action advocated by the extremists included:
 (a) National Education
 (b) Boycott
 (c) Swadeshi
 (d) Passive Resistance
 Tilak contributed immensely to the development of each of these
programmes.
 National Education: B.G. Tilak realized that Western education
system, established by Lord Macaulay (1800-59) in this country, was
detrimental to the future of India.
 The western system of education introduced in India aimed at
creating a class of people who were Indian by blood, but
intellectually and culturally closer to the west with an enduring
loyalty to the British throne.
 The extremist thinkers were dissatisfied with this system of
education. They wanted education to inculcate among the Indian
people a sense of respect and affinity for their own religion, culture
and heritage.
 Hence, they drew a different scheme of education which they called
'National education.' Under the scheme of National Education, the
schools and colleges were to be exclusively managed and run by
Indians.
 Tilak recommended the opening of national schools and colleges
throughout India which would provide less expensive and more
beneficial education to the people and promote the spirit of self-
reliance among them.
 Tilak himself played an active role in establishing the desired type of
educational institutions which was an integral part of the national
reconstruction programme.
 (eg-Fergusson College, Greater Maharashtra Commerce & Economics
College at Pune, Wellington College at Sangli, and Bombay College at
Mumbai developed to promote the national education by Tilak and
his associates).
 Tilak argued that national education system should conform to the
great tradition rooted in ancient Indian culture.
 Religion has a salutary influence on human personality. It builds
morality and courage. But at the same time, secular and practical
education was not to be neglected.
 Tilak opposed the education founded on Western values, but he was
not opposed to opening Western-type schools and colleges for
imparting national education to Indians.
 Thus, under the scheme of National Education, the modern scientific
and technological knowledge of the west was to be combined with the
knowledge of all that was best and worth retaining in our own heritage.
 Tilak regarded national education not only the means of strengthening
the sentiment of nationalism, but also an instrument of gaining Swaraj.
 Boycott: Economic exploitation was one of the primary motives of
British imperialism. Their reckless policies were responsible for the
total destruction of the Indian industries, crafts, trade and
commerce.
 The Indian economy was forced to face unequal competition with
the foreign goods which were allowed a free flow into the country.
 Self-help alone was the remedy. The tools of this self-help were
'boycott' and 'Swadeshi'.
 Boycott meant a firm determination on the part of the Indians not
to use foreign goods.
 Besides, it also meant determination not to assist alien bureaucracy
in carrying on the administration of the country. It was a negative
tool.
 Nonetheless, it was expected to help the cause of Indian nationalism
in three ways.
 Firstly, it would hit at one of the primary motives of the imperialists
i,e. exploitation.
 Secondly, it would create determination among the Indian people to
sacrifice their immediate interests for the good of the nation. This
would help foster the feeling of nationalism among them.
 Thirdly, it would help Indian industry, trade and craft to regain their
place in the Indian life and economy and develop rapidly under the
stimulating influence of nationalism.
 Swadeshi: Swadeshi was mainly intended to serve three principles;
a. Boycott of foreign-made goods would adversely affect the
economic interests of the foreign rulers.
b. It would promote indigenous industries and strengthen the Indian
economy.
c. It would encourage simple life style, and thereby strengthen our
moral life.
 Eventually this movement was extended to other spheres, such as
preference for Indian institutions and Indian value system.
 The Swadeshi movement exhorted the people to use indigenous
products even if they were crude and costly.
 It also urged the educated Indians to enter the field of production,
instead of pressing for bureaucratic jobs.
 The swadeshi movement also included in it a plan to train
Indians in the art of industry and commerce.
 The success of the swadeshi movement depended upon the
success of the boycott.
 The more people resolved to boycott foreign goods, and the
more would be the demand for swadeshi goods.
 Swadeshi was thus a positive programme to reconstruct Indian
industry, trade, craft and rescue it from its dilapidated/decayed
condition.
 Passive Resistance: Passive Resistance urged people to go one step further.
It insisted upon non-payment of taxes and revenues to the alien authorities.
 It also included a programme to train people for self-rule. This training was
to be provided to the people by organising our own administrative units’
parallel to those instituted by the British.
 The villages, talukas and districts were to have parallel institutions with its
own courts, police etc.
 Although Tilak’s political philosophy was rooted in Indian traditions, he was
not opposed to modernisation.
 He adapted the best of the modern western thought and institutions
suitable to the Indian situation.
 He led the Indian national movement on the right track and invigorated it by
popularising the four-point programme of action namely, National
Education, Boycott, Swadeshi and Passive Resistance.
 Conclusion
 Tilak believed that the acquisition of political power by India was the first
and foremost goal of the nation; accomplishment of other salutary goals
would follow in the normal course.
 Tilak was in favour of a democratic system under Swaraj. He asserted that
under the Swraj, the rule of bureaucracy would be replaced by the rule of
the will of the people. This rule will motivate people to cooperate willingly
and vigorously in the task of nation-building.
 Tilak was an extremist only in the sense that he insisted on taking a firm
stand in pursuing the goal of national independence.
 He did admire nationalist revolutionaries for their intense patriotism, but
did not advocate violence or indiscriminate destruction of property to
paralyse the administration.
 He favoured the method of voluntary boycott and peaceful, passive
resistance in his fight against injustice.
 It would also not be fair to say that Tilak focused on the cause of
Hindu nationalism. It is true that he organized Ganapati and Shivaji
festivals which largely led to the mobilization of Hindus. But he
never encouraged alienation of Muslims or any other Indian
community.
 In fact, Tilak was convinced that the intelligence combined with
chivalry of Indians would prove to be a potent threat to British
bureaucracy, and force the British rulers to quit India.
 In nutshell, L.B.G. Tilak’s nationalistic philosophy of Swaraj played a
prominent role in strengthening the national and independence
movement of India.
The End
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