Decolonization in India: An Overview

Assignment Instructions:

Plagiarism report needed
World War II was fatal to the European colonial empires. European states’ populations were too devastated to consider fighting to keep Asia and Africa subjugated. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were hostile to continuation of European colonies. A reluctant Britain, in return for American support, in 1941 agreed to the Atlantic Charter, a pact recognizing the right of people to choose their own government.
The Indian National Congress agreed to support the British war effort in return for a significant share of power in India and a postwar commitment to independence. The British rejected the offer. Negotiations failed to lessen increasing tensions. Mass civil disobedience campaigns, such as the Quit India movement, began during 1942. Gandhi and other leaders were imprisoned. The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, gained favor by supporting the British. The war caused hardship in India through inflation and famine. When a Labour government came to power in Britain in 1945, independence in the near future was conceded. The divided Indians were unable to work out a compromise between Hindu desires for one nation under majority rule and Muslim wishes for a separate state. When communal rioting spread, the British agreed to the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, in 1947.
Read the information in the background material, look for more information and then write a 3- to 5-page paper answering the following questions:
– Describe how decolonization occurred in India.
– Describe what happened at Partition and how this represented a breakdown in governability.
In the Module 3 Case Assignment, you are expected to:
– Describe the purpose of the paper and conclusion.
– Answer the Case Assignment questions clearly and provide necessary details.
– Provide a quality argument; that is, use good sentence structure, and avoid run-on sentences and spelling and grammar errors.
– Provide citations to support your argument and references on a separate page. Please use APA format to provide citations and references: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.Citation and reference style instructions are available at Trident University’s Introduction to APA Style, 7th edition .
– Answer all the Case Assignment questions in an essay format instead of point format. Please do not type questions in the paper.
– Double space the paper.

How To Work On This Assignment(Example Draft/Essay)

World War II had a profound impact on the European colonial empires, particularly on their colonies in Asia and Africa. The war weakened the European states, making them unable to fight to maintain their colonial rule. Furthermore, the United States and the Soviet Union opposed the continuation of European colonies, leading to a significant shift in the balance of power. In India, the war created an opportunity for the Indian National Congress (INC) to negotiate with the British for independence. However, the negotiations failed to produce a compromise, and mass civil disobedience movements such as the Quit India movement ensued. The British responded by imprisoning the leaders of the movement, including Gandhi. The war also resulted in inflation and famine, further exacerbating the tensions between the Indians and the British. With the Labour government coming to power in Britain in 1945, the decolonization process in India gained momentum, ultimately leading to the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, in 1947.

The Decolonization Process in India

The decolonization process in India began with negotiations between the Indian National Congress and the British government. The Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, demanded complete independence from British rule, while the British proposed a gradual transfer of power. The negotiations failed, and in 1942, the Quit India movement was launched, demanding immediate independence. The British responded by arresting the leaders of the movement and suppressing it.

The Indian National Congress’s demand for independence received a significant boost when the Labour Party came to power in Britain in 1945. The Labour Party was sympathetic to the Indian National Congress’s demand for independence and promised to grant it after the war. The new government appointed Lord Mountbatten as the Viceroy of India, with the mandate to transfer power to Indian hands. Mountbatten worked towards creating a consensus among the Indian leaders for the transfer of power.

However, the division between the Hindus and the Muslims in India made the process of transfer of power complicated. The Muslims, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded a separate state, arguing that they would be a minority in a Hindu-dominated India. The Indian National Congress was opposed to the idea of a separate state, fearing that it would lead to the balkanization of India. The British initially tried to broker a compromise between the two sides, but their efforts failed.

The Partition of India

The British ultimately agreed to the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, in 1947. The decision was made in haste, with little thought given to the practicalities of dividing the country. The partition of India resulted in the largest mass migration in history, with millions of Hindus and Muslims crossing the newly drawn borders to reach their respective nations. The migration resulted in widespread violence, with communal riots and massacres breaking out across the country.

The partition also represented a breakdown in governability. The British, who were responsible for maintaining law and order, were unable to control the violence. The Indian National Congress, which had been the dominant political force, was unable to prevent the partition of the country. The Muslim League, which had supported the British, emerged as the dominant political force in Pakistan.

Conclusion

The decolonization process in India was a complex and difficult process. The Indian National Congress’s demand for independence was ultimately granted, but the partition of the country resulted in widespread violence and a breakdown in governability. The decolonization of India had far-reaching implications for the rest of the world, inspiring other colonies to demand independence and leading to the end of the European colonial empires.

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