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IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : Modern India - GROWTH OF COMMUNALISM UPTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

Modern India 1857-1964

GROWTH OF COMMUNALISM UPTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Structure
22.0 Objectives
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Communalism: Meaning and Components
22.2.d What is Communalism
22.2.2 Components
22.2.3 Myths Regarding Communalism
22.3 Emergence and Growth
22.3.1 Socio-Economic Factors
22.3.2 Role of British Policy
22.3.3 19th Century Revivalism
22.3.4 Political Trends in the Late 19th Century
22.3.5 Role of Communal Organisations
22.3.6 Weaknesses in the National Movement
22.4 Communalism in the 20th Century
22.4.1 Partition of Bengal and the Formation of the Muslim League
22.4.2 Separate-Electorates I
22.4.3 Lucknow Pact
22.4.4 Khilafat
22.4.5 parting of the Ways
22.4.6 Towards a Mass Base
22.5 Let Us Sum Up
22.6 Key Words
22.7 Answers to check Your Progress Exercises

22.0 OBJECTIVES

You all are quite familiar with the term 'Communalism'. But have you ever tried to think what communalism actually means, and how it has come to become such a strong force in our society. This unit intends to answer some of the questions regarding communalism in India. After reading this unit you can:

explain what communalism is and distinguish between various types of communalism
see how communalism emerged in the Indian society and polity
evaluate the role of the various forces which enabled it to grow, and
trace its development in the early 20th century.

22.1 INTRODUCTION

One of the major priorities of any developing country is to maintain a unity of its people. In the history of modem India, such a unity was put to a very severe test by the growing communalisation of the Indian people, politics and society. Where as the Indian National Movement aimed at achieving the unity of all Indian people, communalism sought to divide them along religious lines, by creating and spreading false barriers of religious communities, religious interests and ultimately religious nations also. This unit will tiy to tell you how communalism in India was born and thrived because of a combination of various forces and their development. For instance, the peculiarity of the socio-economic development of lndia in the 19th century, the impact of the colonial rule as well as the role of certain colonial policies, the weakness of the anti-communal nationalist forces and finally the active role played by the like the All India Muslim League and the All lndia Hindu Mahasabha,

22.2 CONIMUNALISM: MEANING AND COMPONENTS

Communalisnl has different meaning to different groups and peoples, institutions, and organisations. At the same time, it can be a belief, a way of thinking, an ideology, a value and an instrument. It can he used in a variety of ways and it can be studied from a number of perspectives. It is therefore very important to know what communalism is.

22.2.1 What is Communalism

Generally speaking, Communalism is a belief that all those who have a common religion, also have, as a result, comlnon social, political, cultural and economic interests and identities. In other words, it is the notion that religion forms the base of the society and a basic unit of division in the society: that it is religion that determines all the other interests of man. To understand it better, let us look at it differently. Man is a multi faceted social being, who can, at the same time have a number of identities. His identity can be based on his country, region, sex, occupation, position within the family, caste or religion. A cdmmunalist would choose from this wide range, only the religious identity and emphasize it out of proportions. As a result, social relationship, political behaviour, and economic struggles might be defined on the basis of the religious identity. So, briefly put, it is the super-imposition of the religious category over all others, which becomes the starting point
of communalism. Two more things need to be clarified at this stage: Firstly, in the context of pre-independence India, communalism expressed itself mainly in terms of a conflict between certain sections of the Hindus and Muslims. It was partly for this reason that communalism was also referred to as the Hindu-Muslim problem, or the Hindu-Muslim question, in contemporary debates and literature. However, from this we should not assume that the problem was confined only to the Hindus and Muslims or that it was a religious problem at all.
Secondly, communal beliefs and propaganda did not always remain at the same pitch. In fact, as the society got more politicked and as the struggle for independence intensified, communalism also, correspondingly, shifted to higher levels of propaganda. Briefly, thr communal, propaganda and arguments had three levels: