DMPQ: What were the characteristics of Modern Indian Nationalism.

Indian modern nationalism was floating on the foundational values of modernity and the newly reformed socio-religious milieu.  The availability of new opportunities , resources, India renaissance and offshoot of modernisation helped to gave new direction to Modern Indian Nationalism.

MIN was rooted in the complex economic analysis of the British policies. To understand that setting up of modern infrastructure in the form of Indian Railways is just a meagre by product. Most of the policies have lead to the de industrialisation of India. It has ultimately lead to the drain of wealth.

Introduction of the western education gave a new outlook. The liberal and radical thoughts of the European writers like Milton, shelley, rousseau and Voltaire helped many Indians imbibe the ideologies of modern rational, secular, democratic and nationalist ideas.

  • Modern Indian nationalism was of diverse nature. It experienced mass movements like Non cooperation movement, civil disobedience movement. Extreme nationalist was also part of it. Their motto was to create a sense of terror among the Britishers. Earlier the Nationalism was sporadic and occasional. Later on it took the shape of mass movement under the leadership of Gnadhiji. Non violence and change from within was the feature of mass movements.
  • Not only getting independence but also imbibing the elements of social change and religious reform were also the aim of Nationalism.  The idea of India as a nation with elements of fraternity emerged during Nationalism.