Factors Causing Independence

Factors Causing Independence

1. Pressure from US

   • US wanted Brits to end empire- always been anti-empire
     • Wilsons 14 points 1919 - principle of national self determination
       • 1941 Atlantic Charter - Agreement between Roosevelt and Churchill to support principle of self govt
         • 1942 Cripps Mission - One of key reasons is to please US
           • Influence of US increased by massive war loans given to Britain

2. Nationalist Campaigns (Congress and Gandhi)

   • Very successful and widespread
     • Puts British in bad light - Salt March 1930
       • Quit India Campaign 1942 - Creates demand for independence
         • Non Coop Movements 1919-1922
           • Civil Disobediene 1930-1934

3. Communal Violence/Fear of Unrest

   • Repeated accounts of communal violence throughout entire time period
     • Moplah Rebellion 1921
     • Calcutta Killings 1946
   • British would not be able to deal with civil war - can no longer rely on army after Bombay mutinies - Key reason
     • Congress ends mutiny - shows shift of power

4. Labour Govt

   • Wanted to give Indian's independence
     • Left wing wanted to help the people
       • Nehru and Mountbatten very close
         • Mountbatten tries to please Nehru as much as possible
   • Churchill removed
     • wouldn't have granted independence as quick

5. WWII

   • Cripples British finances
     • Resources/wages
     • US debt
   • INA - Shows Indian's prepared to use violence
     • INA POWs also show Indian potential to cause unrest
   • Indian Soldiers wanted a reward
   • Quit India 1942 - British response
     • British have no moral high ground - Indians want them out

6. British Policy (Brutality/Ignorance

   • Divide + Rule - turned people on eachother - increases chance of civil war
     • Partition of Bengal/1909 reforms are examples
   • Declaration of WWII
     • Annoyed everyone - had enough
   • Amritsar massacre
     • extreme violence
       • Possible turning point in Indian opinion
   • Crushing of Quit India 1942
     • Again extreme violence
   • Never were able to negotiate successfully with Indians
     • Roundtable confs
       • Simla confs

7. Economy

   • Empire costing 1 billion a year - prewar
   • English finances ruined by WWII
   • No longer have the money to spend on looking after India
   • Whole point of empire was to make money not to lose it
   • Empire costing 1.4 billion by end of war
   • Economy already going downhill
     • Indian imports of british decreased by approx 45 million 1929-1936
   • 1931 reserve bank of India established
     • Rupee no longer tied to pound - British trade less profitable
   • British reduced investment in India