The terms “Swarajists” and “No-Changers” are associated with the Indian political landscape during the early 20th century, particularly during the time of the Indian National Congress (INC) and its struggle for independence from British colonial rule.
- Swarajists:
The Swarajists were a faction within the Indian National Congress who believed in participating in the legislative councils set up by the British government in India. The term “Swaraj” translates to “self-rule” or “independence” in English. The Swarajists, led by leaders like Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, and Madan Mohan Malaviya, advocated for a strategy of working within the existing colonial system to push for reforms and ultimately achieve self-governance.
Their decision to contest elections and participate in legislative councils was based on the belief that it would provide a platform to voice Indian grievances, enact reforms, and gradually pave the way towards eventual independence. They hoped to use the councils to influence policy decisions in favor of Indian interests and to mobilize public opinion.
The Swarajists’ participation in legislative councils marked a significant departure from the earlier policy of boycotting these institutions, which was advocated by the extremist faction within the Indian National Congress led by leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
However, the Swarajists’ strategy faced criticism from within the Congress itself, particularly from the No-Changers, who believed that cooperating with the British government was futile and compromised the goal of complete independence. The Swarajists’ approach also faced opposition from the British authorities, who were reluctant to grant significant concessions to Indian demands.
- No-Changers:
The No-Changers were a faction within the Indian National Congress who opposed the Swarajists’ strategy of participating in legislative councils and cooperating with the British government. They argued that such cooperation only legitimized British rule and undermined the goal of complete independence.
The No-Changers, led by leaders like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Annie Besant, advocated for a policy of non-cooperation and non-violent resistance as the means to achieve independence. They believed in boycotting British institutions, including legislative councils, and promoting indigenous forms of self-governance and socio-economic development.
Gandhi’s leadership was instrumental in shaping the No-Changer ideology, which emphasized the principles of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) and Swadeshi (self-reliance). The No-Changers believed in the power of mass mobilization and civil disobedience to challenge British authority and compel them to grant independence to India.
The conflict between the Swarajists and the No-Changers reflected broader ideological differences within the Indian National Congress regarding the most effective strategy for achieving independence. While both factions shared the common goal of independence, they differed in their approaches, with the Swarajists advocating for a more gradual and reformist path, and the No-Changers favoring a more radical and confrontational approach.
Ultimately, the No-Changer ideology gained prominence within the Indian National Congress, particularly after the failure of the Swarajist strategy to achieve significant concessions from the British government. The non-cooperation movement led by Gandhi in the 1920s marked a decisive shift towards the adoption of non-violent resistance as the primary means of challenging British rule and achieving independence.
