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Q1. Examine how Gandhiji’s earlier experience in South Africa shaped India’s freedom movements, from the moderate to the Gandhian phases. (250 words, 15 Marks)
Answer:
Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in January 1915. With the emergence of Gandhi on the Indian political scene, the Indian struggle against imperialism took a decisive turn toward a broad based popular struggle.
Gandhi’s Experience in South Africa:
- In South Africa, Gandhi witnessed white racism, as well as the humiliation and contempt, shown to Asians who had come to South Africa as labourers.
- He made the decision to organise the Indian workers in order for them to fight for their rights.
- Gandhi organised mass protests against South African policies that discriminated against Indians, such as legislation that required Indians in South Africa to carry registration certificates with their fingerprints at all times, restrictions on Indian migration, Poll Tax and Invalidation of Indian Marriages, and the Transvaal Immigration Act.
Gandhi learned through his experience of organizing protests in South Africa:
- That the masses possessed a tremendous capacity to participate in and sacrifice for a cause that moved them.
- Under his leadership, he was able to bring together Indians of various religions and classes, as well as men and women.
- He also realised that leaders must sometimes make decisions that are unpopular with their ardent supporters.
- He was able to develop his own leadership and political style, as well as new techniques of struggle on a small scale, unhindered by the opposition of competing political currents.
- As Gandhi assumed leadership of the Indian National Movement, he gradually introduced his distinctive Gandhian protest methods, such as truth, nonviolence, civil obedience, and non cooperation, which he developed in South Africa.
- During his protest organisation in Africa, Gandhi also brought women into the Indian National movement because he was convinced of women’s inner strength.
- During his early movements such as the Champaran Satyagraha, Kheda Satyagraha, and Satyagraha against the Rowlett Act, Gandhi drew on his South African experience.
Thus, his experience in South Africa solidified Gandhi’s belief in the ability of the masses to fight. He was able to evolve his own style of leadership and politics, as well as techniques of mass struggle, from the moderate struggle of petitions and prayers to Gandhian methods of non cooperation, civil disobedience, and persuasion by attacking the oppressor’s conscience.
