Extent of Mass Participation and Impact of the Agitation
Modern History › Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences · Topic 20.5
Women, students, merchants, tribals, workers and peasants took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement, while Muslim participation was far below the level of 1920-22, though the North-West Frontier Province saw an overwhelming response. The agitation cut imports of foreign cloth, reduced government income from liquor, excise and land revenue, and led to a largely boycotted Legislative Assembly election.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences
At a Glance
- Women Picketing liquor and cloth shops; entry into the public sphere
- Muslims Far less than in 1920-22; strong in the North-West Frontier Province
- Others Students, merchants, tribals, workers and peasants
- Impact Less foreign cloth, less government revenue, boycott of Assembly elections
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on the Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences. The previous topic covered the Dandi March and the spread of salt law disobedience. This topic covers who took part and what the movement achieved. The next topic covers the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Previous topic: Dandi March and the Spread of Salt Law Disobedience.
Who Participated in the Movement?
Several sections of the population took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
| Group | Role |
|---|---|
| Women | Gandhi specially asked women to play a leading part. They became a familiar sight picketing outside liquor shops, opium dens and shops selling foreign cloth. For Indian women the movement was the most liberating experience and marked their entry into the public sphere |
| Students and youth | Along with women, played the most prominent part in the boycott of foreign cloth and liquor |
| Muslims | Participation was nowhere near the 1920-22 level because of appeals by Muslim leaders to stay away and active government encouragement of communal dissension |
| Merchants and petty traders | Very enthusiastic; traders’ associations and commercial bodies implemented the boycott, especially in Tamil Nadu and Punjab |
| Tribals | Active in the Central Provinces, Maharashtra and Karnataka |
| Workers | Took part in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and Sholapur |
| Peasants | Active in the United Provinces, Bihar and Gujarat |
What Was the Muslim Participation Like?
Though much lower than in the earlier movement, some areas saw participation. The North-West Frontier Province saw overwhelming participation. Middle-class Muslim participation was significant in Senhatta, Tripura, Gaibandha, Bagura and Noakhali. In Dacca, Muslim leaders, shopkeepers, lower-class people and upper-class women were active. The Muslim weaving community in Bihar, Delhi and Lucknow was also effectively mobilised. The earlier movement’s Muslim participation is in Spread of the Movement and People’s Response.
As an analytical point, the contrast with 1920-22 shows that the Khilafat issue had given a common cause then, while in 1930 the communal controversies after the Nehru Report, described in Mahasabha Opposed new Muslim-majority provinces; wanted…">Muslim and Hindu Communal Responses to the Nehru Report, had weakened the common ground in many regions.
What Was the Impact of the Agitation?
- Imports of foreign cloth and other items fell.
- The government suffered a loss of income from liquor, excise and land revenue.
- Elections to the Legislative Assembly were largely boycotted.
The impact was felt in public finance as well as in the political mood, since the targeted items, liquor and land revenue, were among the main sources of income for the government. The Round Table Conferences that followed are in First and Second Round Table Conferences.
What Do These Patterns Show?
The movement drew from a wider set of groups than the Non-Cooperation Movement in some respects, with peasants and business groups playing large roles, and from fewer in others, such as the Muslim community. The place of women is notable: by taking up picketing and other public tasks they entered public life in large numbers. As an analytical point, the groups that took part were those who could see their interests in the movement’s programme, so the traders joined the cloth boycott, the peasants joined the revenue campaigns and the women and students took the picketing, which is why the participation was broad but uneven by region and community.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Social base Group-wise participation is a stock Mains point
- Women’s entry A frequent question on the role of women in the national movement
- Muslim participation Key to comparing civil disobedience with non-cooperation
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the government’s response, the efforts for a truce, and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Next topic: Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
Key People and Terms
- Picketing Standing outside shops to discourage sales
- Opium dens Places where opium was sold and used, picketed by women
- Legislative Assembly elections Largely boycotted during the movement
- Weaving community Muslim weavers mobilised in Bihar, Delhi and Lucknow
- Public sphere Public life, which women entered during the movement
- Traders’ associations Bodies that implemented the boycott
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Women: picketing liquor shops, opium dens and foreign cloth shops.
- Muslim participation low, except the NWFP and parts of Bengal.
- Merchants active in Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
- Peasants active in UP, Bihar and Gujarat.
- Impact: foreign cloth imports fell; Assembly elections boycotted.
Do Not Confuse With
- Civil Disobedience and Non-Cooperation participation Muslims fewer in 1930; peasants and business more
- Merchants and big business Merchants were enthusiastic in this movement
- Students and women Both led the boycott of cloth and liquor
Memory Hook
Women at the pickets, merchants at the boycott, peasants at the revenue, and the Frontier alone for the Muslims.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the social base of the movement. These points add depth.
- Women Entry into public life
- Muslims Reduced participation
- Economy Impact on imports and revenue
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the extent of mass participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement and assess its impact.”
How to Answer
- Groups Women, students, traders, peasants and workers.
- Gaps Muslim participation.
- Impact Imports, revenue and elections.
- Conclude Broad but uneven base.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Which groups took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Women, students and youth, merchants and petty traders, tribals, workers and peasants all took part. Women picketed liquor, opium and foreign cloth shops, merchants enforced the boycott, tribals were active in central and western India, and peasants joined in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat.
How did women participate in the movement?
Gandhi asked women to play a leading part, and they picketed outside liquor shops, opium dens and foreign cloth shops. For Indian women the movement was the most liberating experience and marked their entry into the public sphere.
Why was Muslim participation low in 1930?
Muslim leaders appealed to Muslims to stay away and the government actively encouraged communal dissension, so participation was far below the 1920-22 level. Even so, the North-West Frontier Province saw overwhelming participation, and Muslims in places such as Dacca took part.
What was the impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement on the government?
Imports of foreign cloth and other items fell, the government lost income from liquor, excise and land revenue, and elections to the Legislative Assembly were largely boycotted. These effects reduced its revenue and weakened its political standing.
Which groups were active in which regions?
Merchants were most prominent in Tamil Nadu and Punjab, tribals in the Central Provinces, Maharashtra and Karnataka, workers in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and Sholapur, and peasants in the United Provinces, Bihar and Gujarat, so participation was wide but uneven by region.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Women picketed liquor shops and foreign cloth shops during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
The movement marked their entry into the public sphere.
2 Muslim participation in 1930 matched that of the 1920-22 movement.
It was nowhere near that level.
3 The North-West Frontier Province saw overwhelming participation in the movement.
The Khudai Khidmatgars were active there.
4 Elections to the Legislative Assembly were largely boycotted during the movement.
Imports of foreign cloth also fell.
5 Merchants and traders stayed away from the movement.
They were enthusiastic, especially in Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
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