Get here the summary, questions, answers, textbook solutions, extras, and pdf of Chapter 6 “Peasant, Working Class and Leftist Movements in the 20th Century India: Characteristics and Observations” of the West Bengal Board (WBBSE) Class 10 (Madhyamik) History (Social Science) textbook. However, the given notes/solutions should only be used for references and should be modified/changed according to needs.
Summary
During the first half of the 20th century, the British attitude of imperialism had a big effect on peasants. They were taken advantage of and mistreated, which forced the poor peasants to use violence and fight back. A new wave emerged among the working class, similar to the peasant movement.
Workers’ economic distress, poor working conditions in mills and factories, worker retrenchment, and a variety of other factors gave rise to the labour movement. The peasantry played no significant role in the anti-partition movement. The Swadeshi movement did not support land reforms or the protection of peasants from rental demands. In some ways, the anti-partition movement was not focused on the concerns of the peasantry. The non-cooperation movement attracted a large number of peasants.
They stopped paying rent and chowkidari tax in various locations. The peasants had the support Anti-Partition of Indian National Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Vallabhbhai Patel, and others. The peasants joined this movement and spoke out against the oppressive British rule. They became ardent supporters of the civil disobedience movement. Peasants from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, the United Provinces, Mymensingh, and other states joined the movement wholeheartedly. Peasant participation in the Quit India Movement was spontaneous, total, and widespread. The movement was joined by peasants from Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and West Bengal.
Peasants of all classes were at the forefront of the movement, focusing their offensive on symbols of authority. During the movement, the working class was crucial. The workers’ discontent was undoubtedly fueled by material grievances such as rising prices, poor working conditions, and mistreatment by white officers. The Anti-Partition Movement resulted in a large number of industrial strikes, demonstrating the growing political consciousness of the working class. The non-cooperation movement was actively supported by the working class.
Labour unrest erupted in the mills, factories, and engineering workshops. To suppress the moment, the government implemented a number of repressive measures. However, after 1922, the working-class movement slowed under the leadership of nationalist leaders. The working class became involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement. They organised mill and factory strikes and campaigned with the slogan ‘Poorna Swaraj’. The British government implemented a number of repressive measures against workers.
Workers’ participation in the Quit India Movement was spontaneous, total, and widespread. Strikes and lockouts took place in several industrial concerns across India, including Ahmednagar, Ahmedabad, Poona, Bangalore, Bombay, Mysore, Madras, Coimbatore, Madurai, Nagpur, Calcutta, and Central Province. During the 1930s and 1940s, leftist movements were influential. M.N. Roy and SA Dange, Communist Party leaders, organised industrial workers and peasants.
Textual (Oriental)
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The Partition of Bengal was announced in which of the following dates ?
(a) 20 July 1905
(b) 16 October 1905
(c) 1 April 1907
(d) 15 May 1907
Answer: (a) 20 July 1905
2. Of the following who founded the Andhra Provincial Ryot’s Association ?
(a) N.G. Ranga
(b) M.B. Naidu
(c) N.G. Ranga and M.B. Naidu
(d) Muzaffar Ahmed
Answer: (c) N.G. Ranga and M.B. Naidu
3. Which of the following was the first all-India peasant organization ?
(a) Workers’ and Peasants’ Party
(b) Kisan Sabha
(c) All India Kisan Sabha
(d) Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha
Answer: (c) All India Kisan Sabha
4. In which of the following years was the All India Trade union Congress formed?
(a) 1919
(b) 1920
(c) 1921
(d) 1922
Answer: (b) 1920
5. Which of the following did not participate the Quit India Movement following the ‘People’s War’ line ?
(a) The Congress
(b) The Congress Socialist Party
(c) The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party
(d) The Communist Party of India
Answer: (d) The Communist Party of India
True/False
1. The growing discontent against the British rule led to the launching of the Non Co-operation Movement.
Answer: True
2. In the Eka (or Ekta) Movement the peasant activists took vows before a symbolic representation of the river Ganges.
Answer: True
3. The Madras Labour Union set up by B.P. Wadia in 1918 was the first trade union proper in India.
Answer: True
4. In 1920 a good number of student and youth organizations came to be established in different parts of the country.
Answer: True
5. The Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929) gave encouragement to the activities of the communists.
Answer: False
Fill in the blanks
1. During the anti-partition agitation the Muslim peasants of Barisal (now in Bangladesh) were led by______. (Muzaffar Ahmemd/ Aswini Kumar Datta/ Mino Masani/ Fazlul Haq)
Answer: Aswini Kumar Datta
2. The Home Rule League members were really the supporters of______. (CPI/ Workers’ and Peasants’ Party/ Congress/ All India Kisan Sabha)
Answer: Congress
3. By early______the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party came into existence. (1919/ 1920/ 1926/ 1927)
Answer: 1927
4. The______Congress made an emphatic protest against the partition of Bengal as also the repressive measures adopted by the alien government. (Lahore/ Benaras)
Answer: Benaras
Assertion and Reason
1. Which of the following statements about the Indian peasantry are true?
(a) Though limited in scale the participation of peasants in the anti-partition movement was significant.
(b) Towards the close of 1914 the discontent of the peasants surfaced particularly in the districts of Hardoi, Sitapur, etc. in U.P.
(c) Bardoli Satyagraha became the symbol of peasants’ protest in the country.
(d) The first phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement did not impact the peasant masses of the country.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(i) a, c and d
(ii) a, b and d
(iii) a, b and c
(iv) b, c and d
Answer: (i) a, c and d
2. Which are applicable to the Indian working class?
(a) It was not before the First World Warthat the working class in India was organized.
(b) If not as an organization many Congressleaders enthusiastically supported labour strikes.
(c) The Madras Labour Union set up in 1900 was the first trade union proper in India.
(d) During the Civil Disobedience Movement the labour movement gained a foot-hold in the political thinking of the country.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(i) a, c and d
(ii) a, b and d
(iii) a, b and c
(iv) b, c and d
Answer: (ii) a, b and d
Short-answer Type Questions
1. When was the partition of Bengal was announced and given effect to?
Answer: The decision of the partition of Bengal was announced on 20 July 1905, and the partition was to be effective on and from 16 October 1905.
2. How did the process of organizing the peasants on modern lines begin?
Answer: The members of the Home Rule League, who were really the supporters of the Indian National Congress, initiated the process of organizing the peasants on modern lines. U.P. (United Province) was the province where Kisan Sabha was formed first; the Kisan Sabha came into existence in 1918 by the initiative of Gaurisankar Misra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi, with the support of Madan Mohan Malviya.
3. Why did the Congress as an organization initially did not come in open support of the peasantry?
Answer: The Congress as an organization, till 1929 at least, was not tactically prepared to take the side of the peasants and thereby come into open conflict with the zamindars, even though leaders like Gandhiji were unhappy over the peasants’ plight and protested against the zamindars’ oppressions.
4. How was the first trade union formed?
Answer: The Madras Labour Union, set up by B.P. Wadia in 1918, was the first trade union proper in India. In his effort, Wadia received active support and help from G. Ramanajulu Naidu and Singaravelu Chettier.
Analytical Answer Type Questions
1. Write about the Eka movement of U.P. during the Non Co-operation days.
Answer: Towards the close of the year 1921, the discontent of the peasants of U.P. surfaced, particularly in the districts of Hardoi, Sitapur, etc. The insurgent peasants were active under the name Ekta or Eka (unity movement). The initial thrust of the movement, however, was provided by the Congress. The two most famous leaders of the Eka movement were Passi Madari and Sahreb. Before a symbolic representation of the river Ganges, the rebel peasants took the vow that they would pay only the recorded rent, and it would be paid in time. Under any circumstances, the peasants would not leave the land. Even if ejected, they would abide by the decision of the panchayat. They would refuse to undergo forced labour (bet-begari). The Eka movement died an untimely death because of the severe repression of the colonial British authorities.
2. What was the role of the UP Congress during the Civil Disobedience Movement towards the peasantry?
Answer: During the Civil Disobedience years, the peasants of U.P. began a ‘no-revenue and no-rent’ campaign. According to Bipan Chandra, the no-revenue was a call to the zamindars not to pay revenue to the British Government, and the no-rent was a call to the tenants not to pay rent to the zamindars. Under the initiative of Jawaharlal Nehru, the U.P. Congress Committee lent its full support to the no-rent campaign of the peasants. The U.P. Congress also passed a resolution to the effect that the national programme should include reduction of land tax, as peasants were experiencing a financial crisis due to falling agricultural commodity prices and reduced profits. The All India Congress Working Committee accepted most of the resolutions passed by the U.P. Congress Committee. After March 1931, a Congress committee observed that the tenants of the Oudh region got only nominal relief. Under Nehru’s direction, the U.P. Congress started intensifying its rural campaigning. The second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement lasted in U.P. until mid-1932, drawing people of the countryside into the Congress agitation. According to one estimate, more than 10,000 Congress volunteers and agitators were convicted in U.P. alone. Dhanagare, based on a Government Report, claimed that the volunteers Congress recruited for the no-rent campaign largely came from colleges and universities in cities, though a great many of them were also the local people themselves.
3. What was the role of the Congress in organizing the working class during the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Answer: During the Civil Disobedience Movement, the labour movement gained a foothold in the political thinking of the country, evident from the fact that workers all over the country participated in the movement. A Communist Party document from 1930 clearly admitted that virtually Congress was the only organization carrying on the fight against British imperialism, and therefore the workers began to follow the lead of the Congress. Indeed, during the Civil Disobedience, the Congress in Bombay raised the slogan that “workers and peasants are the hands and feet of the Congress”. Following Gandhiji’s arrest on 4 May 1930, which intensified labour unrest, Congress volunteers practically set up something like a parallel government at Sholapur in Maharashtra after a textile strike there. In other centres as well, working-class movements took various forms during the Civil Disobedience, with workers becoming very active and even clashing with police after the arrests of national leaders.
Explanatory Answer Type Questions
1. Write in short about the Eka Movement in U.P. Write about the Bardoli Satyagraha?
Answer: Towards the close of the year 1921, the discontent of the peasants of U.P. surfaced, particularly in the districts of Hardoi, Sitapur, etc. The insurgent peasants were active under the name Ekta or Eka (unity movement). The initial thrust of the movement, however, was provided by the Congress. The two most famous leaders of the Eka movement were Passi Madari and Sahreb. Before a symbolic representation of the river Ganges, the rebel peasants took the vow that they would pay only the recorded rent, and it would be paid in time. Under any circumstances, the peasants would not leave the land. Even if ejected, they would abide by the decision of the panchayat. They would refuse to undergo forced labour (bet-begari). The Eka movement died an untimely death because of the severe repression of the colonial British authorities.
The first civil disobedience movement of the peasants of Bardoli in the Surat district of Gujarat may be said “in many ways a child of the Non Co-operation days.” In 1926, when the time of revision of land-revenue was due, it was found that the hike was unprecedented. The burden on the peasants was 22% to 60% more than the previous rate of tax. The peasants of Bardoli thereupon began satyagraha under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel, who had the blessings of Gandhiji. The Bardoli Satyagraha was formally launched on 12 February 1928. The satyagraha constituted an important chapter in the freedom movement of India. Bardoli Satyagraha became the symbol of peasants’ protests in the country. The movement united a variety of the Indian people irrespective of their class, creed, caste and religion. As pointed out by Prof Mridula Mukherjee, “Bardoli confirmed the Indian people were indeed on the way to becoming a nation.”
2. Write about the attitude of the Congress towards the peasantry during the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Answer: Though Gandhiji was unhappy over the peasants’ plight and protested against the zamindars’ oppressions on them, the Congress as an organization, till 1929 at least, was not tactically prepared to take the side of the peasants and thereby come into open conflict with the zamindars. However, the Civil Disobedience Movement by Congress, under the leadership of Gandhiji, served as an encouragement to the peasants’ movement. During the Civil Disobedience years, the peasants of U.P. began a new type of movement, a ‘no-revenue and no-rent’ campaign. According to Bipan Chandra, the no-revenue was a call to the zamindars not to pay revenue to the British Government, and the no-rent was a call to the tenants not to pay rent to the zamindars. Under the initiative of Jawaharlal Nehru, the U.P. Congress Committee lent its full support to the no-rent campaign of the peasants. The U.P. Congress also passed a resolution that the national programme should include reduction of land tax. As peasants experienced a financial crisis due to falling agricultural prices, the All India Congress Working Committee accepted most resolutions from the U.P. Congress Committee, satisfying both peasants and zamindars. A Congress committee, after March 1931, observed that the tenants of the Oudh region got only nominal relief. Under Nehru’s direction, the U.P. Congress started intensifying its rural campaigning. During the second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement, which lasted in U.P. until mid-1932, people of the countryside were drawn into the Congress agitation, with over 10,000 Congress volunteers and agitators convicted in U.P. alone. Volunteers recruited by Congress for the no-rent campaign largely came from colleges and universities in cities, though many were also local people.
3. Write in short about the role of the Congress and the Leftists towards the working class during the anti-partition movement?
Answer: Swadeshi and Boycott, the two weapons of the anti-partition movement, were together a landmark in the history of the labour movement, marked by ‘industrial unrest’ and a sharp increase in strikes. Many Swadeshi leaders encouraged labourers to unite and organize themselves into unions. With the growth of the labour force, some nationalist leaders felt the need to discuss with British authorities measures for protecting labourers’ interests against capitalist exploitation. The Benaras Congress (1905) protested against the partition and repressive measures. Although Congress as an organization did not openly support the workers’ movement, many Congress leaders enthusiastically supported labour strikes and the formation of trade unions. Labour leaders of the Swadeshi movement like Aswinikumar Banerjee, Premtosh Bose, and Apurba Kumar Ghosh were active in numerous strikes. However, there was a slump in nationalist interest in labour movements after 1908. Not many nationalist leaders were involved in the sporadic strikes of 1908-09, and workers could not be mobilized for protest strikes when nationalist leaders were jailed.
The anti-partition movement also saw faint beginnings of socialist leaning among some nationalist leaders, imbued with Marxist ideas from Europe. Some extremist leaders urged following the ‘Russian method’ of political general strike. The newspaper Nabasakti advocated following the Russian working class example. However, this remained mere lip service; there was no real political strike in labour-intensive establishments like plantations and mines, remaining limited to clerks and some Bengali jute mill workers. Left politics did not emerge in India during the anti-Partition movement, so there was no question of Leftist leadership among the workers or peasants at that time.
4. What do you know about the anti-partition movement and the peasants? Write briefly about the non-cooperation Movement and the peasants. What was the role of Mahatma Gandhi at this time? Write about Bardoli Satyagraha and Civil disobedience movement.
Answer: The anti-Partition movement, following the decision to partition Bengal in 1905, was largely confined to the urban middle class, with limited peasant participation. Although Congress called for a no-rent campaign, peasant involvement was not negligible, seen in the Champaran indigo rebellion and disturbances in Assam and Mymensingh. Muslim peasants in Barisal were led by Aswini Kumar Datta. The Boycott movement economically impacted Bengal’s peasants.
Under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, the Non-violent Non Co-operation Movement was launched to address injustices (Turkey, Punjab wrongs) and attain Swaraj, announced via a manifesto in March 1920. Lakhs joined, including the peasantry protesting high prices and revenue demands post-World War I. Supported by leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vallabhbhai Patel, the peasant movement aligned with the national struggle. Kisan Sabhas were formed (U.P. 1918 by Gaurisankar Misra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi; Oudh 1920 led by Baba Ramchandra against high rents). The Eka Movement (unity movement) emerged in U.P. (Hardoi, Sitapur) led by Passi Madari and Sahreb, where peasants vowed to pay only recorded rent and refuse forced labour, but it was suppressed. Mahatma Gandhi was central, initiating the NCM, calling for mass mobilization, and later blessing the Bardoli Satyagraha and leading the Civil Disobedience Movement.
The Bardoli Satyagraha (Gujarat, 1928) began against a significant land revenue hike (up to 60%) imposed in 1926. Led by Vallabhbhai Patel with Gandhiji’s blessings, it became a symbol of peasant protest and national unity across classes and religions.
The Civil Disobedience Movement started with Gandhiji violating the Salt Law at Dandi (6 April 1930). Peasants joined widely. Despite Gandhiji’s protest against zamindar oppression, Congress was initially hesitant to fully back peasants against them. However, peasant organizations grew, spurred by the Great Depression and Bardoli’s example. The Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS) formed in 1929 (Sahajanand Saraswati), followed by others in Bengal (Muzaffar Ahmed, Bankim Mukherjee) and Andhra (N.G. Ranga, M.B. Naidu, 1928). The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was established in 1936 (Swami Sahajanand President, N.G. Ranga General Secretary). The movement encouraged ‘no-revenue and no-rent’ campaigns, notably in U.P., supported by the U.P. Congress Committee under Jawaharlal Nehru’s initiative.
5. Write about anti-partition movement and non-partition movement and the working class. What were the activities of the ‘Workers’ and Peasants party’? What do you know about the Civil Disobedience movement and the working class? Who said ‘workers and peasants were the hands and feet of the Congress’? Write about the Quit India Movement and the Working class. Write about M. N. Roy and the Left movement in India.
Answer: The anti-partition movement (1905), with its Swadeshi and Boycott methods, spurred ‘industrial unrest’ and strikes. Swadeshi leaders encouraged union formation, and nationalists urged protection against capitalist exploitation. Though Congress didn’t officially support workers’ movements, leaders like Aswinikumar Banerjee, Premtosh Bose, Apurba Kumar Ghosh, Tilak (Bombay), and Chidambaram Pillai (Tuticorin) actively supported strikes (e.g., East Indian Railway, Clive Jute Mills). The Printer’s Union (Calcutta, 1905) and Railwaymen’s Union (1906) were formed. Nationalist interest declined after 1908. Some extremists suggested the ‘Russian method’ (political general strike), but this remained limited.
Nationalist interest revived during the Non Co-operation Movement (1919-1920), leading to a resurgence in working-class activity (1919-1922). The first proper trade union, the Madras Labour Union, was set up by B.P. Wadia in 1918. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) formed in Bombay (1920) by N.M. Joshi, Joseph Baptista, Lala Lajpat Rai (first President), and others, aiming to coordinate labour activities and advance workers’ interests. Congress welcomed AITUC, and C.R. Das (Gaya Congress President, 1922) urged Congress to organize labour and peasantry. Congress leaders Darsanananda and Viswananda led a major strike on the East Indian Railway. Activity slumped again after 1922.
The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) emerged by early 1927, led by S.A. Dange, Muzaffar Ahmed, P.C. Joshi, and Sohan Singh Josh. Functioning as a left-wing within Congress, it participated in Simon boycott demonstrations. The WPP aimed to build class consciousness, achieve complete independence via a broad anti-imperialist front, and establish socialism. Its provincial units acted as working-class parties, though the WPP lost peasant contact between 1930-1935.
During the Civil Disobedience Movement, workers participated nationwide. A Communist Party document (1930) noted workers followed Congress’s lead as the main anti-imperialist force. The Congress in Bombay raised the slogan that “workers and peasants are the hands and feet of the Congress”. Strikes occurred supporting the salt law breach (GIP Railwaymen) and protesting Gandhiji’s arrest (Sholapur textile strike, leading to a parallel government). Workers in Karachi, Madras, and West Bengal clashed with police. Communist influence grew (e.g., Girni Kamgar Union strike, 1928), alarming the government, which arrested leaders (Mirajkar, Joshi, Muzaffar Ahmed, S.A. Dange, etc.) in the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929). Despite this weakening the movement, workers participated heroically, facing repression.
The Quit India Movement (1942) also saw working-class involvement, boosted by the pro-labour stance of Congress ministries (1937-1939) which encouraged union growth. On 9 August 1942, workers struck nationwide (Delhi, Lucknow, Jamshedpur, Madras, Bangalore). Some strikes were prolonged (Tata Steel – 13 days; Ahmedabad textiles – 3.5 months). However, the Communist Party, following the ‘People’s War’ line after Germany invaded the USSR, officially dissociated itself and opposed strikes, though many communist rank-and-file members participated.
M. N. Roy (Narendranath Bhattacharya), a revolutionary associate of Bagha Jatin, co-founded the Mexican Communist Party and initiated the formation of the Communist Party of India (CPI) at Tashkent (1920). He participated in the Comintern’s Second World Congress and headed its Asian Bureau. Returning to India pseudonymously (1930), he was arrested (1931) and released (1936). He joined Congress, formed the League of Radical Congressmen, then resigned to form the Radical Democratic Party. Unlike the CPI, Roy supported the Allied war effort against Fascism. Post-independence, he dissolved his party and founded the new Radical Humanist Association, shifting from Marxism to humanism.
Extras
MCQs
1. On what date was the partition of Bengal announced?
A. 20 July 1905
B. 16 October 1905
C. 1 April 1907
D. 15 May 1907
Answer: A. 20 July 1905
60. Which movement aimed to remedy Punjab wrongs and injustice to Turkey?
A. Quit India Movement
B. Non‑cooperation Movement
C. Civil Disobedience Movement
D. Bardoli Satyagraha
Answer: B. Non‑cooperation Movement
Questions and Answers
1. When was the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) established?
Answer: The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was set up in 1936. It was established in Lucknow in April 1936, initially named the All India Kisan Congress, and soon after, its name was changed to the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).
40. Analyze the impact of international events like the Russian Revolution and World War II on leftist politics in India.
Answer: International events like the Russian Revolution and World War II profoundly impacted the development and direction of leftist politics in India.
The success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 served as a major inspiration. It attracted young Indians to the socialist ideal, making them question why, if Tsarist autocracy could be overthrown, British imperialism could not be similarly challenged. The British government’s resulting fear of Soviet influence inadvertently increased Indian interest in the Bolsheviks. The revolution provided a model, influencing Indian communists to focus more on organizing trade unions. It also directly influenced key nationalist leaders; Jawaharlal Nehru, for instance, was transformed into a ‘socialist’ after his visit to Soviet Russia in 1927.
World War II caused significant shifts and divisions within the Indian left. The most notable impact was on the Communist Party of India (CPI). After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, the CPI adopted the ‘People’s War’ line, prioritizing the defeat of Fascism over the immediate struggle for Indian independence. This led them to suspend anti-imperialist activities, support the British war effort through industrial peace, and dissociate themselves from the Quit India Movement launched by Congress in 1942. This policy severely isolated and discredited the CPI within the broader nationalist movement. Other leftists, like M.N. Roy and his Radical Democratic Party, also supported the war effort against Fascism, but based on their own analysis of Fascism as the primary global threat. The war also influenced mainstream nationalist leaders like Gandhiji and Nehru, who considered Fascism an immediate danger, impacting their strategies and willingness to potentially cooperate with the British war effort under certain conditions.
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Great opportunity for poor students. Thank you Sir.
Can you guys drop some mind map on this chapters of history