WBBSE 10th Class Social Science Solutions History Chapter 6 Peasant, Working Class and Leftist Movements In 20th Century India : Characteristics and Observations

1. During the first half of the 20th century, the peasants were greatly affected by the imperialist attitude of the British. They became prey to exploitation and oppression which forced the poor peasants to take up the path of violence and resistance.
2. Like the peasant movement, a new wave was noticeable among the working class. The economic distresses of the workers, the poor working conditions in mills and factories, retrenchment of workers and several other causes gave birth to labour movement.
3. The peasant community did not play any significant role in the Anti-Partition Movement. The swadeshi movement did not advocate land reforms and protection of the peasant from rental demands. In a sense, the anti-partition agitation did not centre around the issues of the peasant community.
4. A large number of peasants joined the non- cooperation movement. They stopped payment of rent and chowkidari tax in different places. The peasants were supported by Indian National Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Vallabhbhai Patel and others.
5. The peasants took part in this movement and raised their voice against the oppressive British rule. They became enthusiastic supporters of Civil Disobedience movement. The peasants of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, United Province, Mymensingh and several other places plunged into the movement wholeheartedly.
6. The participation of the peasants during the Quit India Movevment was spontaneous, total and widespread. The peasants of Bihar, Orissa, Maharastra, Gujarat, West Bengal joined the movement. Peasants from all strata were at the heart of the movement and they concentrated their offensive on symbols of authority.
7. The working class played an important role during Anti-Partition Movement. The discontent of the workers were no doubt caused primarily by material grievances like rising prices, condition of work, ill treatment by white officers. The Anti-Partition Movement produced a large number of industrial strikes, which reflected the growing political consciousness among the working class.
8. The working class took active part in the Non-Cooperation Movement. The mills, factories and engineering workshops were centres of labour unrest. The government adopted several repressive measures for the suppression of the moment. After 1922 however, the working class movement under leadership of nationalist leaders slowed down.
9. The working class joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. They organised strikes in mills and factorial and were vocal with the slogan ‘Poorna Swaraj’. The British government took several repressions measures against the workers.
10. The participation of the workers in the Quit India Movevment was spontaneous, total and widespread. Strikes and lockouts occured in several industrial concerns in different parts of India like Ahmadnagar, Ahmedabad, Poona, Bangalore, Bombay, Mysore, Madras, Coimbatore, Madurai, Nagpur, Calcutta, Central Province, etc.
11. Leftist movements played an important role during 1930s and 1940s. The Communist Party leaders like M N Roy, SA Dange, organised industrial workers and peasants. In order to suppress communist influence, the British government started the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929). In 1934 the communist party of India was banned, but these repressions, failed to weaken the communist movement.
12. However the leftist movements could not make any progressive development as the basic themes of ‘class antagonism’ and ‘violence’ were alien to the Indian tradition.

TOPIC – A

Answer in 15 to 16 sentences

1. The Non-Cooperation Movement was started by Gandhi in 1920 and a large number of peasants joined this movement. The programme of the Congress for no rent campaign stirred the peasants.
2. The peasants of Midnapore in Bengal started the no rent campaign under the leadership of Birendranath Sashmal.
3. The peasants of Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and the Deccan stopped payment of rents and chowkidari tax.
4. In Awadh, peasant struggle became popular as well. As the movement spread, in 1921, the houses of Talukdars and merchants were attacked. Bazars were looted and grain stores were taken over.
5. The exploited Moplahs of the Malabar region organised armed resistance against the oppressive landlords and moneylenders.
6. In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant guerilla movement spread under the leadership of A S Raju. The rebels attacked police stations, attempted to kill British officials and carried on warfare for achieving swaraj.
7. Rajasthan became an important centre of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Vijay Singh and Manikyalal Verma organised a violent peasant rebellion. As a result, the jagirdars were forced give some concessions to the peasants.
8. The peasants during the Non-Cooperation Movement were supported by Indian National Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Vallabhbhai Patel and other. The movement of the peasantry became an important part of the Indian national movement.

1. The Civil Disobedience Movement, started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, is a landmark in the history of freedom movement in India. The peasants took part in this movement raised their voice in protest against the oppressive British rules. They refused to pay revenue and Chowkidari taxes. The peasants who lost their lands during the economic depression of 1929, organised themselves to get back their lost lands. The poorer peasantry was not just interested in the lowering of revenue demand, they also wanted unpaid rents to be remitted. They joined various radical movements, often led by the socialists and the communists.
2. In the United Province, the peasants started a no rent compaign and refused to pay rents to the zamindars. The no-rent campaign of the peasants was supported by the UP Congress Committee.
3. Rich peasant communities like the patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh participated actively in the movement.
4. In Bihar, Swami Sahajanand organised a Kisan Sabha for protection the rights of the peasants.
5. In Monghyr the peasants started several movements against zamindari oppression. In 1931, under the leadership of Kalika Prasad, the peasants started agitation against the illegal eviction by the zamindars.
6. The peasant movement in Mymensingh also deserves special mention. Here, the peasants were organised by the youth organisation called Young Comrade League. This was also movement a against the zamindars.
7. It is interesting to note that the movements of the peasants were supported by the Muslim League.

1. The participation of the peasants during the Quit India Movement was spontaneous, total and widespread. The participation of the peasants gave the movement a popular turn.
2. The main centre of the peasant movement lay in eastern India where agriculture production showed signs of decline.
3. The Bihar Kisan Sabha acted as the brain of the Bihar movement. The participation of the peasants was so intense that British officials described the region around Saran in Bihar as a ‘notoriously criminal district’.
4. There was also the participation of peasants of Talcher in Orissa.
5. Peasant rebellion also broke out in East Khandesh and Satara in Maharashtra and in Baruch district of Gujarat.
6. In Azabgarh the crowds beseiged police stations spurred by the belief that swaraj had been attained. Once that faith had been rudely shattered by British repression, the peasant upsurge melted away in the absence of a concerete programme geared to their more immediate needs.
7. The rich peasants in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and the Thanjavur delta in Tamil Nadu kept away from the movement,
8. In rural Bengal, the Quit India Movevment was fuelled by peasant resentment against the new war taxes and the forced rice export.
9. The Muslim peasants of Birbhum and Dinajpur enthusiastically joined the movement.
10. The peasants in the Central Province were actively involved in the revolt.
11. Peasants from all strata of the society were at the heart of the movement. These programs concentrated their offensive on symbols of authority and there was complete absence of violence against Zamindars.

1. Foundation: The backbone of the peasants were broken due to extreme economic crisis. Agricultural prices fell due to which peasants could not sell their produce. The torture of the landlords and the moneylenders continued as before. The moneylenders and the landlords were opposed by the peasants, who were in turn backed by the Congress. The All India Kisan Congress was founded in 1936 in order to ventilate the grievances of the peasants which later became the All India Kisan Sabha.
2. Leaders: Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was elected President and N G Ranga was the general secretary. Jawaharlal Nehru was associated with the foundation of the Kisan Sabha and other members included Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Kamal Sarkar, Sudhin Pramanik and others.
3. Demands: The Kisan Sabha focused mainly on the grievances of the peasants vis-a-vis the zamindars, moneylenders, traders and the government. The demands of the All India Kisan Sabha were as follows-[i] reduction of land revenue by 50%, [ii] decrease in agricultural debts and interests, [iii] feudal dues to be totally withdrawn, [iv] legal protection for payment of minimum wage to the agricultural labourers, [v] full occupancy rights to all tenants, [vi] recognition of peasant union, [vii] restoration of customary forest rights.
4. Conclusion: The Kisan Sabha could not achieve much success and failed to give justice. Some steps were taken by the government to improve the condition of the peasants, but they were not enough. However, the peasants became politically conscious and later their movement merged into the nationalist movement and strengthened the freedom struggle of India.

1. During the Anti-Partition Movement (1905): Due to the lack of any initiative of the Congress leaders, the peasantry did not participate in the Anti-Partition Movement of 1905. According to Sumit Sarkar, the participation of the peasantry was missing due to the lack of a proper plan of action for the benefit of the peasantry.
2. During the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22): The peasantry participated actively in the Non-Cooperation Movement at the call of Gandhiji.
   1. Bengal: In Midnapore, Comilla, Rajshahi, Bogura, Rangpur, Birbhum, Dinajpur, Bankura etc., in Bengal, the peasantry participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement.
   2. Bihar: In the areas of Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, Munger, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamadi, etc., the peasantry not only participated in the movement, but also stopped paying taxes to the zamindars and entered into conflict with the police.
   3. United Provinces: In the United Provinces (present Uttar Pradesh), Baba Ramchandra gave leadership to the peasants, and built up a strong movement. This movement of the peasants in United Provinces was known as Eka Movement.
   4. Other Provinces: Peasantry from areas of Guntur (Andhra), Punjab and parts of Orissa participated in the Non- Cooperation Movement. Under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the peasantry of Gujarat started the Bardoli Satyagraha Movement.
3. During the Civil Disobedience Movement: The peasantry of several provinces actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34).
   1. United Provinces: In the areas of Rae Bareily, Agra, Barabanki, Lucknow, etc., due to the huge participation of the peasantry, the Civil Disobedience Movement became a true mass movement.
   2. Bihar: Under the leadership of Swami Sahajanand, Jadunandan Sharma and others, the Kisan Sabha was formed in Bihar. The Kisan Sabha was instrumental for the participation of the peasantry in the national movement.
   3. Bengal: In the areas of Kanthi, Mahishadal, Arambagh, Tripura, Srihatta, etc., the peasantry joined the Civil Disobedience Movement.
   4. Gujarat: The peasantry of Surat, Bardoli, Kheda, etc., joined the movement.
   5. Other Provinces: In Kerala, the peasantry led by Kelappan, and in Andhra by Bal Ramakrishna, stopped payment of taxes. Even in Punjab, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh the peasants stopped paying irrigation tax and began a movement for decreasing the colonial tax.
4. During the Quit India Movement: During the Quit India Movement, there was an uproar in the country to throw out the British from India. The peasantry too participated in this movement.
   1. Bihar: In the areas of Munger, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, and the Santhal Parganas of Bihar, the peasantry rose in revolt against the British. Almost 80 per cent of the police stations in Bihar were captured by the bilier people.
   2. Bengal: In the district of Midnapore, deb under the subdivision of Tamluk, police station areas like those of Patashpur, Khejuri, Dinajpur, Balurghat etc., the revolting peasantry stopped payment of taxes to the zamindars.
   3. Gujarat: In areas like Surat, Khandesh, Brooch, etc., the peasantry began guerilla attacks.
   4. Orissa: At Talcher in Orissa, the peasants established the Chashi-Molla Raj and strengthened the movement. Even though the peasant movement was powerful in the 20th century, the peasantry did not participate in the movements all over the country. One of the major causes of the non participation of the peasants in several areas was that majority of the movements were led by Congress. The main grievance against the Congress was that most of the zamindars were supporters of the Congress.

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. Mass movement: Areas like Rae Bareilly, Agra, Barabanki, Lucknow, Pratapgarh etc., and several other areas witnessed the participation of the peasantry in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Hence, in a sense, this movement transformed into a mass movement.
2. Stopped payment of taxes: The peasantry stopped the payment of taxes, as a part of the Civil Disobedience Movement. They not only stopped paying taxes directly to the government but also stopped the payment of taxes to zamindars and landlords.
3. Leadership: The leadership of the movement was taken up by peasant leaders like Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, Kalika Prasad and others.
4. Initiative by the Congress: From the very first day, the Congress rendered support to the peasant movement in the United Provinces. In fact, it was the Congress Working Committee that suggested that the peasants stopped paying taxes.
5. Initiative by Leftist leaders: The communists and the socialists too were linked with the peasant movement. Even though Gandhi had suggested that the peasants should pay at least some amount of taxes, the leftists did not agree to it.

1. Causes: The main cause of the Eka movement was higher rent, which was about 50% higher than the recorded rents in some areas, oppression of thikadars in charge of revenue collection and practice of share rents.
2. Objective: The objective of the movement was to resist the attempt of the landlords and their men to take more than the recorded rent from the tenants. The peasants vowed that they would pay only the recorded rent and would pay it on time. They would not leave when evicted and refused to do forced labour.
3. Leaders: The movement led by Madari Pasi and other low caste leaders and many small zamindars who were unhappy with the British demands for high revenue, though the initial thrust was provided by the Congress and the Khilafat leaders.
4. Repression: Madari Pasi, the leader of the movement, was arrested, in 1922. Severe repression by the British government brought the movement to an end.

1. In 1928, Bardoli faced famine causing crop production to suffer and leaving farmers in great financial trouble.
   
2. The government of Bombay Presidency raised the tax rate by 30% that year. The peasants tried to solve the problem and requested the government to repeal their decision. But the government refused to cancel the rise in the face of the calamities. The situation was grave for the farmers and they barely had enough property or crops to pay off the tax. Consequently, the Bardoli Satyagraha started under the leadership of Sarder Vallabhbhai Patel.

1. The movement proved to be the best example of the practice of the Gandhian principle of non-violence. The farmers were instructed by Vallabhbhai Patel to remain completely non-violent.
2. The farmers received support from their compatriots in Gujarat.
3. Women like Bhaktibai, Sharda Mehta, Mithubai Patel joined the movement.
4. The Bardoli Satyaghaha was a unique example of unity. The process of auction, attachment, confiscation and indiscriminate arrest were made impossible for the government.
5. Many Indian members of the Legislative Councils of Bombay and across India resigned their officers and expressed open support the farmers.
6. The campaigners used economic boycott by refusing to supply official and other members of the opposition with non- essential goods and services.

1. In 1921 the rebelion began as a reaction against a heavy-handed crackdown on the Khilafat movement by the British authorities.
2. The root cause of the rebellion was the oppression and exploitation of the ‘Nambudiri’ and Nair Hindu Brahmin landlords.
3. The land tenure system in Malabar was quite unfavourable to the Moplah tenants, there was complete insecurity of tenure for the Moplah and they could be ejected from their lands without any appropriate notice.
4. Another cause of the rebellion was the ever-increasing land rent of the British and the question of tenancy rights.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

Fill in the blanks

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

TOPIC – B

Working Class Movement and the Leftists

Explanatory Answer (EA) Type Questions

Answer in 15 to 16 sentences

1. When and how was the Communist Party of India formed?

Ans. The Communist Party of India was first set up at Tashkent in the erstwhile Soviet Russia in October, 1920, by Manabendra Nath Roy and his comrade Abani Mukherjee. In the next year (1921), this party was recognised by the Communist International led by Lenin.

In 1922 some youths, dedicated to communist ideas and some leaders of the Trade Union Movement  established  communist  organisations in Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Lahore and some other parts of India. Muzaffar Ahmad was the leader of the leftist organisation in Calcutta and S A Dange and Nadkarni in Bombay.

The British government was alarmed at the rapid popularity of socialist thoughts. As a result, communist leaders like S A Dange, Muzaffar Ahmad, Nalini Gupta were arrested on changes of treason. They were brought to trial under the Kanpur Conspiracy Case in 1924.

However, in the very next year (1925), a conference was summoned in Kanpur, where communist workers from different parts of India assembled and it was decided that an undivided All-India Communist Party should be formed. In accordance with the decision of the conference, The ‘Communist Party of India’ emerged in 1925.

2. Discuss the growth of Communist activities within the Congress.

Ans. After the establishment of the Communist Party of India, it had a very strong influence over the working class of India. When the British Government could not control the communists, it banned the Communist Party of India and began the Meerut Conspiracy Case and arrested several communist leaders. After the Communist Party was banned, the remaining leaders began to operate from within the Congress.

1. Communist leadership within Congress: When the British Indian Government banned the Communist Party in 1938 the communist leaders who had not been arrested, began to function from within the Congress or the Congress Socialist Party and continued their work. This was responsible for strengthening the communist hold within Congress.
2. Formation of the Congress Socialist Party: The Congress Socialist Party was formed under the initiative of Acharya Narayan Dev and Jayaprakash Narayan. The Congress Socialist party was opened within the Congress as a left wing organisation of Congress. Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, was the president of the Congress Socialist Party.
3. Aims and objectives of the Congress. Socialist Party: The Congress Socialist Party was eager in invoking the growth of leftist ideals within the Congress itself. The main aim of the Congress Socialist Party was to unite the workers and peasants for the national movement under a single roof. The Congress Socialist Party forced the Congress leadership to think over the issues of workers and peasants and incorporate these in the Congress movements.
4. Formation of Kisan Congress: Leftist sections within the Congress, the Congress Socialist Party and the Communists formed the All India Kisan Congress in the year 1936. N G Ranga was elected President of Kisan Congress while Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was elected as its secretary.
5. Young leadership: Young Congress leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru were left inclined leaders of Congress. According to them, alongwith the political freedom of the country, Congress and its leaders should also try to achieve economic and social freedom for the countrymen. For this purpose, Subhash Chandra Bose even had the wish that they would be able to build up India into a socialist country after freedom. According to him, British imperialism was the root cause behind the impoverished condition of the masses. He was responsible for the formation of Forward Bloc in 1939.

The growth of leftist ideals within the Congress was not something which the rightist leaders could accept very easily. Even when the socialist Subhash Bose became the Congress President in 1939, Gandhiji was not happy with his policies. This ultimately led to his suspension from Congress. Forward Bloc thus became a separate party under Bose’s leadership in 1940.

3. Give a brief account of leftist movements in India during 1930s and 1940s.

Ans. ‘Left’ and ‘Right’-these two words have some specific meanings. The persons or institutions who want revolutionary changes are called leftists. Those who are not in favour of any change and are content with the present government whatsoever it may be, are known as rightists. Various reasons led to rise of leftist movements in India-[1] The underdeveloped economy of India and the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor proved conducive to the rise of leftism in India. [2] Many leaders were dissatisfied with Mahatma Gandhi’s feeble policy against the British government. They began to dream of the freedom of India through the revolution of peasants and labourers, following the ideas of the Russian Revolution. Thus under the initiative of the leaders who wanted revolutionary changes leftist movement played an important part during 1930s and 1940s. There were two main leftist parties-The communist party and the socialist party in India.

The Communist Party leaders like M N Roy, S A Dange organised industrial workers and peasants. In order to suppress Communist influence, the British government started the Meerut Conspiracy Case in 1929, which continued for three years and about 33 Communist leaders were arrested in the case.

The Meerut Conspiracy Case could not however, weaken the Communist led working class movement. In February-March, 1930, the Communist led a strike in the GIP railway. There was also a successful strike of the carters against the ban on transportation of goods during the afternoon under the leadership of the Communist leader Abdul Momin. However, police repressions weakened the Communists. In 1933 and 1934, there was a revival of the labour movement in India, which was associated with the activities of the communists. In 1934, a general strike was organised by the communists and consequently in the same year, the Indian Communist Party was banned. Repressions, however failed to weaken the Communist movement. In 1936, the All India Kisan Sabha was formed with the object of achieving complete freedom from economic exploitation.

On September 3, 1939, when the Second World War began, the working class of Bombay was amongst the first in the world to organise an anti-war strike, in which more than 90,000 workers participated. The leftist movements, however could not make any progressive development. This is because, the basic themes of Leftism-‘class antagonism’ and ‘violence’- were alien to the Indian tradition. By 1947, the Communist Movement in India had lost whatever it had earned in the Indian political scenario.

4. Give an account of the working class movements in India during the 20th century.

Ans. During the 20th century, several working class movements began in India, alongside the national movement, and at times, the two movements merged with each other.

1. During the Anti-Partition Movement: During the Anti-Partition Movement (1905) and the Swadeshi and Boycott movements that went on with it, the working class became active participants of the movement. There were cases of labour unrest in several areas during the boycott of foreign goods. The workers and labourers of several factories went on to boycott foreign goods. Even the workers of the Calcutta Tramways Company went on strike.
2. During the Non-Cooperation Movement: During the Non-Cooperation Movement, there occurred about 450 labour strikes. Madras Presidency became an important centre of labour unrest. In Calcutta too, there were strikes and lockouts in factories and workshops. There were cases of labour unrest in coal mines at Raniganj. Bombay, Bihar, Kanpur, Sholapur, Jamalpur and several other provinces also witnessed severe labour unrest.
3. Civil Disobedience Movement: The working class came to the forefront of political movement during the Civil Disobedience Movement. Maharashtra, Bengal, Assam, Madras were chief centres of strikes and labour unrest.
   1. Maharashtra: Sholapur, Nagpur, and Bombay were centres of labour unrest. Railway employees and gangmen blocked railway lines.
   2. Bengal: Several jute mills, transport sectors and industries were centres where the workers locked the factories and industries. On top of this, the iron and steel factory at Kulti and the coal mines at Raniganj were areas of labour unrest.
   3. Other Areas: Karachi Port, Hirapur Iron and Steel Industry, Digboi Oil Refinery in Assam etc., were other centres of labour unrest.
4. Quit India Movement: During the Quit India Movement, the Communist Party of India advised the working class to stay away from the Congress led Quit India Movement. Despite this advice from the Communists, the working class participated in the Quit India Movement in large numbers. There were a number of strikes in factories and workshops.

Even though the working class participated in the Quit India Movement, the Communist Party of India had a greater influence over the working class than the Congress. For this very reason, the colonial government banned the communist party in 1934.

5. What was the role of the working class during the Anti-Partition Movement?

Ans. The working class played an important role during the Anti-Partition Movement. The discontent of the workers were no doubt caused primarily by material grievances, like rising prices, conditions of work, low wages, long working hours and ill treatment by the white officials.

1. Leaders: Labour discontent was given some political direction for the first time by a group of nationalist leaders among whom were eminent personalities such as Aswini Kumar Banerjee, Prabhat Kusum Roychowdhury, Apurba Kumar Ghose and Premtosh Bose and several others.
2. Role of the working class: The Anti- Partition Movement produced a large number of industrial strikes-
   1. The earliest strike of the period was the one by the employees of Messrs Burn and Company which coincided with the adoption of the boycott resolution in August, 1905.
   2. Around 1905, there cropped up a few labour organisations in Calcutta. One of them was the Printers Union and it was under the auspices of this union that the strike of the Government of India Press employees took place in September, 1905. In October, 1905, under the leadership of Bipin Pal and Apurba Ghose, a socialist, the printers and compositors of Bengal secretarial press went on strike.
3. The mill hands of Ralli Brothers Jute Works went on strike on October 16, the day on which the partition of Bengal came into effect. Boycott in Indian Mill Hands Union at Budge Budge was organised in 1906 by A C Banerjee.
4. In October, 1905, the tram drivers and conductors of the Calcutta Tramway Company observed a token strike in support of ‘Swadeshi’.
5. On the day of the partition, 11,000 carters remained off the streets. Twelve Jute factories, one Sugar Factory, one shell factory, one gun factory and about 70 local Calcutta mills were closed.
6. The Calcutta Telegraph employees were on  strike in April, 1908.

These strikes reflected the growing political consciousness among the working class.

6. Give an account of the participation of the working class during the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Ans. The participation of working class in the Non-Cooperation Movement can be discussed as follows-

1. When Mahatma Gandhi started the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, the working class took an active part. Mills, factories and engineering workshops were centres of labour unrest. The participation of the working class in political strikes signalled their conscious involvement in the nationalist movement.
2. The workers and labourers organised strikes in factories and mills owned by the British. In 1921, the workers organised about 321 strikes in which 6 lakh workers participated. In 1921, workers of the Assam Tea Gardens launched movements to support the Non-Cooperation Movement. The tram company workers and the workers of the Municipal Corporation observed strikes. Swami Vishya Nanda and Swami Darshana Nanda organised strikes among coal mine workers of Raniganj and Jharia. The alarming number of strikes and protests became a serious threat to the British government.
3. The Indian National Congress extended its support to the working class movement. The Nagpur Session of the Congress supported the working class movement and the labour organisations. There was a four month long strike at the white-owned Buckingham and Carnatic textile mill in 1921, which received full support local Non-Cooperation leaders like Thiru Vi Ka. In 1921, when the Prince of Wales visited India, the Congress, and responding to the call of the Congress, the working class boycotted the Prince of Wales and observed strikes throughout the whole of India.
4. The British government, alarmed at the progress of the working class, adopted several repren-sive measures for the suppression of the movement and a large number for workers and leaders were arrested. After 1922, the working class movement, under the leadership of the nationalist leaders, slowly lost momentum and it gradually slowed down.

7. Give an account of the participation of the working class during the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Ans. The Civil Disobedience Movement, which started in 1930 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, is an important landmark in the history of India’s freedom struggle. The economic depression of 1929 badly affected all classes of people. It was a period of industrial recession which caused unemployment and wage cut. The working class organised strikes in mills, factories and they were vocal with the slogan ‘Purna Swaraj’. The workers adopted some of the ideas of the Gandhian programme like boycott of foreign goods as a part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions. There were frequent industrial unrests in the Nagpur region.

Thousands of workers in tin mines Chotanagpur region wore Gandhi caps and particiated in protest rallies and boycott campaigns. The Great Indian Peninsular Railwaymen’s Union called a strike in support of Gandhiji’s breach of the salt law. The British government took repressive measure against the workers on strike The Indian National Congress declared July 6 (1930) as ‘Gandhi Day’ and on this day, about 50 thousand workers observed a strike. When Gandhiji and all the national leaders were arrested, a large number of workers struck work in Sholapur, Igatpuri, Kanchi, Madras and West Bengal and they also clashed with the police in some cases.

8. What role did the working class play during the Quit India Movement?

Ans. The Quit India Movement started in 1942 and gradually turned into an all India anti-imperialist movement. The Communist Party decided to stay aloof from the movement. Though they did not support the movement, the participation of the workers in the movement was spontaneous, total and widespread.

1. On August 9, 1942 when the leaders of the Quit India Movement including Gandhiji were arrested, workers in Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bombay, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Jamshedpur etc., held long strikes.
2. In Ahmadnagar, Poona and Ahmedabad, labour participation remained considerable for several months. Gandhian influence had contributed to a cordial relation between labourers and mill owners and they did not resent the absence of their workers.
3. In Bangalore 30,000 workers held brief strikes under the leadership of the Congress leader T Bhashyam.
4. In Bombay, many mills were closed- largely by the Congress mill owners.
5. In Mysore, the workers in mills, mines and workshops actively supported the petty bourgeoisie masses who launched a series of attacks on British Raj.
6. In Madras, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tenali, the working classes supported the movement by observing strikes.
7. The workers in Nagpur mills and in all the cities and towns of Central Province went on strike in support of the movement.
8. In Calcutta, strikes and lockouts occurred in some industrial concerns. The New India Jute Press, Calcutta Port Trust, the Calcutta Tramways and some other engineering concerns of Calcutta went on strikes for long periods.

9. Discuss the role of the leftists in anti-colonial movement in 20th century India.

Ans. Leftists played an important role in the anti-colonial movement in 20th century India.

1. All India Workers’ and Peasants’ Party: In 1928 was formed All India Workers’ and Peasants’ Party. Under the initiative of the party several workers and peasant movements were organised against the oppression of the British on the working class.
2. Meerut Conspiracy Case: The Communist Party leaders like M N Roy, S A Dange organised industrial workers and peasants. The activities of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party alarmed the government. In order to suppress communist influence, the British government. started the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929). This was a clear case of attack on the communists who were arrested and put to jail.
3. Communist Party banned: However, the remaining members of the Communist Party continued the struggle against the British. There were successful strikes under the communist leaders. Consequently in 1934 the Communist Party of India was banned. But these repressions failed to weaken the communist movement.

However, the leftist movements could not make any progressive development as the basic themes of ‘class antagonism’ and ‘violence’ were alien to the Indian tradition.

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. How was the Congress Socialist Party formed?

Ans. Socialist leaders within the Congress, like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, could not accept the ideologies and the methods of activities of Mahatma Gandhi and his followers. They did not believe in Gandhi’s policy of peaceful compromise. In 1933, when the Congress leaders like Achhut Patvardhan,

Jayaprakash Narayan, Minoo Masani, Narendra Dev were at the Nasik prison, they favoured the idea of a distinct socialist group within the Congress. In 1934, Sampuranand, the UP Congress leader, drew up a manifesto of the Congress Socialist Party which wanted a reconstruction of the Indian society and economy on the basis of socialism. In 1934, the Congress Socialist Party was formed under the chairmanship of Narendra Dev in Patna.

2. What were the programmes of the Congress Socialist Party?

Ans. The programmes of the Congress Socialist Party were as follows-[1] development of the economic life of the country to be planned by the state, [2] state control over foreign trade, [3] redistribution of land among the peasants, [4] liqudation of debts owed by peasants and workers, [5] organisation of Cooperative societies for production and distribution, [6] organisation of workers and peasants for these economic upliftment, [7] socialisation of key industries, [8] encouragement of cooperative and collective forming, [9] carrying on the movement for the achievement of independence and socialism.

3. With what objective was the Congress Socialist Party formed?

Ans. In 1934 the Congress Socialist Party was formed under the chairmanship of Narendra Dev in Patna. Sampurnanand, the UP Congress leader, drew up a manifesto of the Congress Socialist Party which wanted a reconstruction of the Indian society and economy on the basis of socialism. The objective of the party was [1] development of the economic life of the country to be planned by the state, [2] redistribution of land among the peasants, [3] organisation of Cooperative societies for production and distribution, [4] organisation of workers and peasants for their economic development, [5] socialisation of key industries and [6] carrying on the movement for the achievement of independence and socialism.

4. Write a short note on Workers’ and Peasants’ Party.

Ans. The initiative taken by the Congress to include the working class in the national movement was given a great impetus by the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party.

1. Peasants’ Party, Bengal branch: In 1925, during the Bengal Session of Congress, the Labour Swaraj Party of the Indian National Congress was created within the Congress. The initiative behind the creation of this party was taken by Kazi Nazrul Islam, Hemanta Kumar Sarkar and others. In 1926, this was renamed as Workers’ and Peasants’ Party of Bengal.
2. All India Peasants’ Party: Drawing inspiration from Bengal, several other states in India began to form their own Workers’ and Peasants’ Party. Ultimately, the All India Workers’ and Peasants’ Party was formed in 1928.
3. Initiative: The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party spread awareness among the working class and peasantry. They understood that if the working class did not get financial freedom, they would not be able to comprehend the value of freedom.
4. Mouthpieces: The party had several mouthpieces in the provinces. Among these, a few worth mentioning were- ‘Langal’, ‘Ganabani’, ‘Shramik’, ‘Socialist’, etc.
5. Movements: Under the initiative of the party, several workers’ and peasants’ movements were organised against the oppression of the British on the working class.
6. Meerut Conspiracy Case: The activities of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party alarmed the Government and the British Government began the Meerut Conspiracy Case. This was a clear case of attack on the Communists who were arrested and sent to jail in this case.

The Meerut Conspiracy Case was not enough to stop the communists. The remaining members of the communist party continued the struggle against the British.

5. Write a short note on the Meerut Conspiracy Case.

Ans. After the formation of the Communist Party of India, there was a steep rise in the communist activities in India.

1. Growth of Communism: From the 1920s, the Communist Party of India began to bring the workers and peasants under one roof. Ih 1929, under the leadership of the Communist Party of India, several thousand workers and peasants joined the Congress session and raised their voice for the call of ‘Purna Swaraj.
2. Cause of Concern for the government: The activities of the communists became a headache for the colonial government. Under such circumstances, they wanted to stop the further growth of the communists. Hence, the government initiated the Meerut Conspiracy Case, and arrested several communist leaders under its trial.
3. Verdict of the Case: The verdict of the Meerut Conspiracy Case came out in 1933 In it, 33 communist leaders were convicted in the trials. Among them were eminent communist leaders like Muzaffar Ahmed S A Dange, P C Joshi, Phillip Spratt, Shibnath Bannerjee, etc.

6. Under what circumstance Forward Bloc was established?

Ans. In the. Tripuri session of the Indian National Congress held in 1939 Subhas Chandra Bose was elected the president by defeating his rival leader Pattavi Sitaramayya, a nominee of Gandhiji. Sitaramayya’s defeat shocked Gandhiji and his diehard loyalists decided not to cooperate with Subhas Bose which created dead-lock in the Congress politics. Though victorious, Subhas Bose was forced to resign from the post of the president owing to sharp differences of opinion with Gandhiji on different issues. After resigning the post of presidentship Subhas Bose founded his own party in 1939 known as Forward Bloc.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. Mention two features of the working class movement in India in the 20th century.

Ans. Two featüres of the working class movement in India in. the 20th Century are as follows[1] Organisation of strikes by labourers-the industrial laboures conscious about the effectiveness of strikes in fulfilling their demands, [2] The workers on strike were supported by the eminent political leaders of the time.

2. State any two major political decisions taken at the Lahore Congress (1929).

Ans. Two major political decisions taken at the Lahore Congress (1929) were-[1] to start Civil Disobedience Movement under the leadership of Gandhiji, [2] the demand of ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence of lndia.

3. What were the objectives of the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Ans. The Civil Disobedience Movement, started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, had certain objectives in viewW-[1] to end the exploitative and oppressive rule of the British in India, [2] to attain complete independence. Gandhi’s obiective was to save the country from violence, anarchy, lawlessness and terrorism.

4. What were the programmes of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP)?

Ans. The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) was formed in 1927. Communist leaders like Muzaffar Ahmed, SA Dange and P C Joshi took initiative in the foundation of the party which established its branches in different parts of India. The programmes of the party were-

[1] struggle for complete independence combined with active socio-economic policies for the toiling masses, [2] abolition of zamindari System,

[3] protection of the interests of workers, labourers and peasants, 4] reduce the working hours of. the workers, [5] determine the minimum wage of the workers.

5. Why did the British government start the Meerut Conspiracy Case?

Ans. The awakening of the working class in 1928 was an important event in the history of Indian trade union movement. The British government was alarmed at the growing unrest and introduced the public safety Bill and Trade Dispute Bill (1929), intending to subdue the communists. In the wake of intense industrial unrest, the British government arrested several leading communist members including Joshi, Dange, Muzaffar Ahmed, Ben Bradley, Mirajkar and Phillip Spratt. They were brought under trial in the famous Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929).

6. With what aim was the All India Trade Union Congress established?

Ans. The All India Trade Union Congress was established in 1920. [1] Its aim was to unite the labourers under one umbrella so as to strengthen the movement of the labourers. [2] Another aim of AITUC was bette rment of economic condition of the labourers. [3] Its aim was to provide representation for India at the League of Nations International Labour Organisation.

7. Why was the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party formed?

Ans. The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) was formed in 1927. It was founded [1] to protect the interests of workers, labourers and peasants, [2] to struggle for complete independence combined with active socio- economic policies for the toiling masses, [3] to unite the different leftist parties.

8. When and by whom was the Forward Bloc established?

Ans. Forward Bloc was established in 1939 by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

9. Name the leaders against whom the Meerut Conspiracy Case was instituted.

Ans. Meerut Conspiracy Case was instituted against leaders like Muzaffar Ahmad, S A Dange, Mirajkar, P C Joshi, Gangadhar Adhikari, Sibnath Banerjee, Dharani Goswami etc.

10. Name two British Communist leaders of the working class movement.

Ans. Two British communist leaders of the working class movement were [1] Benjamin Bradley and [2] Philip Spratt.

11. What was the role of the Communist Party during the Quit India movement?

Ans. The Communist Party of India did not support the Quit India movement and advised the peasants and the workers to stay aloof from the movement. The Communist Party of India was banned at that time by the British government. In order to get the ban lifted, as well as to help the Soviet Union in its war against Germany, it supported the British and stayed aloof from the Quit India movement.

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

1. In which year was the Congress Socialist Party formed?

Ans. The Congress Socialist Party was formed in 1934.

2. Name one of the founders of Congress Socialist Party.

Ans. One of the founders of Congress Socialist Party was Jayaprakash Narayan.

3. Who was the first secretary of the Congress Socialist Party?

Ans. The first secretary of the Congress Socialist Party was Sachchidananda Sinha.

4. Who started the first socialist weekly newspaper?

Ans. The first socialist weekly newspaper ‘The Socialist was started by Shripad Amrit Dange.

5. Name two leaders of the Congress Socialist Party.

Ans. Two leaders of the Congress Socialist Party were Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Dev.

6. Name two representative journals by the leftists.

Ans. Two representative journals by the leftists are ‘Ganabani’ and Langal’.

7. Name two leftist leaders of Congress.

Ans. Two leftist leaders of Congress were Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose.

8. Where was the Communist Party of India first set up?

Ans. The Communist Party of India was first set up at Tashkent (in erstwhile Soviet Union)

9. Name the first labour asso ciation in India.

Ans. The first labour association in India was the Bombay Mill Hands Association.

10. In which year was the Indian Independence Legue formed?

Ans. The Indian Independence League was formed in 1928.

11. Who formed the Indian Independence League?

Ans. The Indian Independence League was formed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose.

12. Who founded the Nawjawan Bharat Sabha?

Ans. Nawjawan Bharat Sabha was founded by Bhagat Singh and his associates.

13. In which year was the Communist Party of India first banned?

Ans. The Communist Party of India was first banned in 1934.

14. Which was the first newspaper dedicated to the cause of workers in India?

Ans. ‘Bharat Shramjeevi’ was the first newspaper dedicated to the cause of workers in India.

15. Who was the editor of ‘Langal’?

Ans. The editor of Langal’ was Kazi Nazrul Islam.

16. Who founded the Radical Democratic Party?

Ans. Manabendranath Roy founded the Radical Democratic Party.

17. When was May Day first observed in India?

Ans. May Day was first observed in India on 1 May, 1923.

18. Write the names of two leftist parties of 20th century India.

Ans. The names of two leftist parties of 20th century lndia are [1] Krishak Praja Party and [2] Congress Socialist Party.

19. Who founded the Revolutionary Socialist Party and when?

Ans. Amulya Chandra Adhikary founded the Revolutionary Socialist Party in 1940.

20. Who was the author of the book “Indian in Transition’?

Ans. The author of the book India in Transition’ is Manabendranath Roy.

Fill in the blanks

1. The Home Rule League members were the supporters of ………..

Ans. Congress

2. The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party came into existence by early ………..

Ans. 1927

3. Narendranath Bhattacharya is better known in history as ………….

Ans. M N Roy

4. The Kanpur Conspiracy Case was instituted in the year ………..

Ans. 1924

5. Sampurnanand was the elected chairman of ………..

Ans. All India Congress Socialist Party

6. The Meerut Conspiracy Case was instituted in the year ………….

Ans. 1929

7. The Meerut Conspiracy Case gave a severe blow to the activities of the ………….

Ans. Communists

8. Muzaffar Ahmed was charged in the ……….

Ans. Kanpur Conspiracy Case

9. The editor of the paper ‘Inquilab’ was …………

Ans. Santosh Singh

10. ………….  joined the second conference of Communist International held in Moscow.

Ans. Manabendranath Roy

11. The All India Trade Union Congress was established in ……….

Ans. 1920

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. May Day was first celebrated in India in–

A. 1923

B. 1924

C. 1925

D. 1926

Ans. A

2. The first May Day celebration was organised in-

A. Calcutta

B. Kanpur

C. Madras

D. Lucknow

Ans. C

3. May Day was first celebrated in India under the leadership of-

A. Gandhiji

B. Singaravelu Chettiar

C. Lala Lajpat Rai

D. P C Joshi

Ans. B

4. Who among the following was associated with trade union movement in India?

A. B P Wadia

B. Vithalbahi Patel

C. Mahatma Gandhi

D. Abul Kalam Azad

Ans. A

5. The first conference of the CPI in India was held in-

A. Calcutta

B. Delhi

C. Kanpur

D. Lucknow

Ans. C

6. The demand for complete independence or Purna Swaraj’ was taken in the-

A. Lahore Congress

B. Calcutta Congress

C. Bombay Congress

D. Surat Congress

Ans. A

7. Which of the following organisation did not participate in the Quit ndia Movevment following the Peoples War’ line?

A. Communist Party of India

B. the Indian National Congress

C. the Congress Socialist Party

D. Hindu Mahasabha

Ans. A

8. The Al India Trade Union Congress was established in-

A. 1917

B. 1920

C. 1927

D. 1929

Ans. B

9. Workers’ and Peasants’ Party associated with-

A. The Rowlatt Satyagraha

B. The Non-Cooperation Movement

C. The Bardoli Satyagraha

D. The movement against the Simon Commission

Ans. B

10. The Congress Socialist Party was formed in-

A. Calcutta

B. Delhi

C. Bombay

D. Madras

Ans. C

11. The bill passed by the British Government to suppress the workers was-

A. Industrial Dispute Bill

B. Ilbert Bill

C. Rowlatt Bill

D. Public Safety Bill

Ans. A

12. In 1920 the AITUC was established in Bombay under the presidentship of

A. Lala Lajpat Rai

B. Manabendranath Roy

C. Vallabbhai Patel

D. S A Dange

Ans. A

13. In 1920 Muzafar Ahmed, S A Dange, Saukat Osmani and Nalini Gupta were arrested and thus started the-

A. Kanpur Conspiracy Case

B. Lahore Conspiracy Case

C. Meerut Conspiracy Case

D. Kakori Conspiracy Case

Ans. A

14. An important leader of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party-

A. P C Joshi

B. Vallabbhai Patel

C. Balgangadhar Tilak

D. Jawaharlal Nehru

Ans. A

15. The editor of Ganabani Patrika was-

A. Kazi Nazrul Islam

B. Muzaffar Ahmad

C. S S Mirajkar

D. Aurobindo Ghose

Ans. B

16. The editor of the paper Socialist was-

A. S A Dange

B. Santosh Kumari Gupta

C. Santosh Singh

D. Muzaffar Ahmed

Ans. A

17. The Communist Party of India was established in Taskhent by-

A. Muzaffar Ahmed

B. P C Joshi

C. S A Dange

D. Manabendra Nath Roy

Ans. D

18. Radical Democratic Party was established in-

A. 1937

B. 1938

C. 1939

D. 1940

Ans. D

19. Forward Bloc was founded in the year-

A. 1936

B. 1937

C. 1939

D. 1940

Ans. C

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