Factors Responsible For The Formation Of INC
Though the regimes of Lord Lytton and Lord Ripon were the immediate factors responsible for the formation of the Indian National Congress, the factors building up to it lay in the various development between 1858 and 1885. These factors are as follows.
Impact of the failure of the revolt
The failure of the revolt demonstrated the fact that the traditional methods of armed struggle were inadequate. The failure of the revolt has also demonstrated the inadequacy of the feudal leadership and the need for a middle class leadership which would be more progressive in orientation and work towards change.
The Growth of National Consciousness
Due to work of quite a few political organizations there was a growth of national consciousness among the Indian people. “National Consciousness” implies that among the people, there was now a perception of identity about aspirations and also frustrations because of alien rule. It also implies the fact that the Indians are now aware that they share common culture and common political interests, common economic problems etc. This growth of national consciousness led to the emergence of a nationalistic vision and its translation into an objective reality could only be possible if there was a national level organisation.
Economic Exploitation
The writings of nationalists like G.V. Joshi, Dadabhai Naoroji, R.C. Dutt and M.G. Ranade on economic issues created an awareness in the minds of the people about the exploitative nature of the British rule and hence fostered nationalist consciousness,
Growth of Middle Class
Because of the Western education, a new middle class grew whose outlook was different from the old aristocratic class. They were exposed to the liberal British education which fostered in them, the ideals of liberty, equality and democracy. They came to realize that there was a fundamental contradiction of interests between their ideals and the British rule in India and hence they resisted the British rule and started the I.N.C.
Growth of a Mature Press
Because of the liberal attitude of the British towards the press, many middle intellectuals established both English and vernacular press. These newspapers critically analyzed Government policies and mobilized and trained public opinion. The struggle for the freedom of the press unified public opinion all over the country which culminated in the founding of National Congress. In fact 1/3 of the founders of the Congress were journalists.
Impact of Contemporary European Movements
The revolutions of 1848 in Europe and the Italian unification under Mazzini and Garibaldi greatly impressed the educated Indians and national leaders. They drew inspiration from these movements and frequently referred to these movements in their writings and speeches in the context of British rule in India and helped mobilze public opinion against British policies.
Renaissance
It laid the material basis for national consciousness. The renaissance was spearheaded by the educated middle class all over the country. They gave the message of social unity and a sense of identity which are necessary for a unified struggle. Thus with the foundation of the National Congress in 1885, the struggle for India’s freedom from foreign rule was launched in a small but organised manner. The national movement was to grow under the Congress which led the country to its independence. Hereafter, the National Congress met every year in December, in a different part of the country each time. The number of its delegates soon increased to thousands. Its delegates consisted mostly of lawyers, journalists, teachers and landlords. In 1890, Kadambini Ganguli, the first woman graduate of Calcutta University addressed the Congress session. This was symbolic of the fact that India’s struggle for freedom would raise the status of Indian women from their present degraded position.