Chapter 2 · Question 4
How did different social groups participate in the national movement?
Answer
Direct Answer
Peasants, workers, business groups, women, students, and tribal communities joined nationalist movements with different hopes. Some wanted lower taxes or rent, some wanted labour rights, some wanted swaraj for business growth, and women entered public protest in large numbers.
Simple Explanation
Peasants sought lower taxes, workers wanted better conditions, business groups wanted swaraj for growth, and women and tribal communities participated in large numbers with their own aspirations.
Exam-Ready Structure
Different social groups participated in the national movement with distinct motivations and forms of action:
• Peasants joined movements against high rents, revenue demands, and oppressive landlords, especially during Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience.
• Workers participated through strikes and protests for better wages and working conditions in factories, plantations, and mines.
• Business groups such as industrialists supported swaraj because they wanted protection from British competition and space for Indian enterprise to grow.
• Women entered public protest in large numbers during the Civil Disobedience Movement, picketing liquor shops and foreign cloth shops.
• Tribal communities and students also mobilised around local grievances connected to colonial policies.
Key Points
- Peasants, workers, business groups, women, students, and tribal communities joined nationalist movements with different hopes.
- Some wanted lower taxes or rent, some wanted labour rights, some wanted swaraj for business growth, and women entered public protest in large numbers.