Question

Point out the features of the Swadeshi and Boycott movement.

Answer 1

Hint: The Swadeshi movement was part of the movement for Indian independence and contributed to Indian nationalism's development. The movement was one of the most successful movements against British rule, initiated in 1906 by Indian nationals opposed to the Partition of Bengal.

Complete answer: Swadeshi was the focus of Mahatma Gandhi, who described it as Swaraj's soul (self-rule). It was Bengal's most important movement and was known in Andhra Pradesh as the Vande Mataram movement. In 1911, the movement died.
In December 1903, the government's decision to partition Bengal was made. The official reason was that Bengal was too large to be managed with a population of 78 million; the real reason, however, was that it was the centre of the revolt and the protests could not be controlled by company officials (which they thought would spread throughout India. Bengal was divided by the religion of language; the western half would be primarily Hindu, and the eastern half would be primarily Muslim. This divide-and-conquer strategy sparked the Swadeshi movement.
The refusal to use international products meant a boycott. In protest of the government's decision to split Bengal in July 1905, the Swadeshi movement was made public. It called for a boycott of all British goods and buying only Indian goods. A four-fold Boycott programme was advocated:
- English cloth, salt & sugar boycott.
- Denial of expression in English.
- The rejection in the Legislative Council of government posts & seats.
- Social boycott by citizens who have bought foreign products.

Note: On August 7, 1905, in Calcutta City Hall, where it was agreed to boycott the use of Manchester cloth and salt from Liverpool, a boycott resolution was passed.