Popular resistance before 1857: causes and nature
Between 1763 and 1856 rulers, peasants and tribals rose in over 40 major rebellions against British exploitation. They were local, often violent, and looked back to the old order.
Why did people resist?
People resist when they feel their rights are being taken away. British rule cut into the rights, status and income of Indians. So every early resistance began against some form of exploitation, which means using people's land, labour or money unfairly for someone else's profit. The resisters were mainly the displaced ruling classes, the peasants and the tribals.
Causes of popular resistance
- Loss of land and power: rulers, zamindars and poligars lost their estates. Poligars were local chiefs of the Madras Presidency who held land and armed men; they rebelled when the British took these rights away.
- Unjust demands: Warren Hastings attacked Banaras and jailed Raja Chet Singh to force money and troops out of him, and the people of Banaras rose.
- Heavy land revenue: high revenue and harsh collection pushed peasants into debt and cost them their land.
- Forced cash crops: peasants were pressed to grow crops such as indigo for sale instead of food.
- Interference in religion: British social and religious changes upset people, so many revolts had an anti-Christian colour.
- Religious difference: in the Mappila rising of Malabar, Muslim peasants fought Hindu landlords and moneylenders.
Nature of these movements
- Violence and plunder were the main tools. Rebels attacked British officials, zamindars, revenue officers, moneylenders and rich people.
- In the Santhal rising, moneylenders' account books and government buildings were burnt.
- They aimed to restore the old order, not to build a new nation.
- Each group had its own aim: displaced rulers wanted their estates back, while tribals wanted traders and moneylenders out of their lives.
- They were local and isolated from one another, because each had a different motive.
How exploitation turned into revolt
Activity: what makes a resistance movement popular?
- 1Recall one time you resisted something unfair in daily life, at home, at work or in your area.
- 2Discuss with family or friends how that differs from a resistance movement against a government.
- 3List what makes a movement popular: large numbers of ordinary people take part, and it speaks for a hurt they share.
- 4Ask: does a movement have to succeed to be called popular? The revolts before 1857 failed, yet they are called popular.Record your answer: a movement is popular because the people as a whole carry it out, not because it wins.
- 5★Write a note of not more than 50 words on your discussion.
★ key step
Farmers and forest dwellers still protest against debt, low crop prices or loss of land, but now through unions, petitions, courts and elections. The forest rights that tribals once fought for are now recognised by law, for example the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
1 marks: “Who were the poligars?” Local chiefs of the Madras Presidency who held land and armed men. They rebelled when the British tried to take away these rights.
2 marks: “Why are the resistance movements before 1857 called popular movements?” Because large numbers of ordinary people, such as peasants, artisans and tribals, took part in them and carried them out. They are called popular for who took part, not because they succeeded.
3 marks: “Explain any three causes of popular resistance movements against British rule before 1857.” (1) Exploitation by British officials, zamindars and moneylenders. (2) High land revenue and forced growing of cash crops, which led to debt and loss of land. (3) Interference in religious practices. Loss of power by rulers and poligars can be a fourth point.
Who rose? R-P-T: Rulers (displaced), Peasants, Tribals. Against whom? O-Z-M: Officials, Zamindars, Mahajans.