Independence and the Partition of India 1910 – Present “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” ~Gandhi

India Under British Rule India had long been a colony of Great Britain as the 20th century opened British encouraged social stratification through the traditional Caste System to help control India Higher castes had the wealth and privilege, and positions of power At the bottom were the “untouchables” or Dalits (poor workers) Opportunity to mention human rights struggles

India Under British Rule India was most important colony Raw materials and markets to buy British goods India’s culture and traditional industries dismantled Britain had promised India more self-rule after WWI, but failed to fulfill these promises Failure caused a surge of Indian Nationalism and the movement for independence

Indian Nationalism and the Independence Movement Indian National Congress (mostly western educated professionals) formed to promote Indian goals Promoted self-rule and democracy Rights of Indians Controlled by Hindus Muslim League formed to protect the rights of Muslims Promoted rights of minority Muslims Cooperation between Indians Cooperation will be split by disagreements (first step towards permanent division – or partition)

Amritsar Massacre National rallies concern British rule – public meetings banned in some areas British troops slaughtered over 400 unarmed protesters in the northern city of Amritsar 1919

Effects of the Massacre The massacre and increasingly strict British rule led to more Nationalism The incident convinced Indians that they needed self-rule More pressure on British government for self rule will morph into demand for independence

Gandhi’s Leadership In the 1920’s, a new leader emerged in the Indian National Congress - Mohandas Gandhi, or the “Mahatma” (Great Soul) He advocated the use of nonviolence and Civil Disobedience as a means to pressure the British to grant independence He did this by not cooperating with laws that were unjust to the Indian people (often going to jail) Promoted boycotting British made goods

Gandhi’s Tactics Gandhi said, “Cooperation in any shape or form with this satanic government is sinful.”

Salt March – 1930

Independence – 1947 After WWII, the British had to finally grant India their independence August 15, 1947 British were too weak to resist Indian Nationalism Big problem was the disunity and hostility between Hindu and Muslim Indians

Partitioning of India India was divided among the majority Hindu and minority Muslim populations To try and keep violence from erupting between the two, the British broke their colony up into two countries – India and Pakistan upon granting independence Known as partitioning (splitting)

Partitioning of India Violence erupted as millions fled to the areas occupied by the same religion Gandhi called for a peaceful partitioning and was assassinated by a Hindu extremist in 1948

The Great Migration

Violence Follows Partitioning India and Pakistan fought several wars (1948-1949; 1965) over a disputed area known as Kashmir During the late 1970’s, a nuclear arms race began between India and Pakistan

1971 India-Pakistan War

Violence Follows Partitioning In 1998, both India and Pakistan successfully tested their first nuclear weapons

Is this a possibility?

Modern India India’s population (1.1billion) is growing rapidly and will exceed China as the most populous by 2050. It is the largest democracy in the world and the 4th largest economy. It has the 3rd largest standing army and is in a constant state of tension with its neighbor Pakistan, largely over the disputed territory of Kashmir The population of India is just over 1 billion people. It is believed that India’s population will surpass that of China by 2020. No success with family planning, birth control/abortion. Necessity of large families in agrarian subsistence lifestyle. India's economy is uneven at best: many Indians lead a subsistence lifestyle, while a sizeable middle class and a small upper class live in the cities. The situation in Kashmir is quite dangerous. Ongoing hostilities continue, and both sides continue a low-level crossfire across the border of this divided region. Three wars have been fought over Kashmir: 1948, 1965, and 1971. The 1972 partition did not settle the issue. Because both sides, India and Pakistan, have nuclear weapons, some fear that the potential for large-scale war could lead to the use of these nuclear weapons. In the summer of 2002, India and Pakistan came within a hair’s breadth of war.

Modern India India has invested heavily in the tech industry and attract many international technology companies – lots of call centers. Pharmaceuticals are huge in India Film industry is larger than Hollywood Produces many engineers, scientist and doctors – over 30% of doctors in U.S. are from India. The population of India is just over 1 billion people. It is believed that India’s population will surpass that of China by 2020. No success with family planning, birth control/abortion. Necessity of large families in agrarian subsistence lifestyle. India's economy is uneven at best: many Indians lead a subsistence lifestyle, while a sizeable middle class and a small upper class live in the cities. The situation in Kashmir is quite dangerous. Ongoing hostilities continue, and both sides continue a low-level crossfire across the border of this divided region. Three wars have been fought over Kashmir: 1948, 1965, and 1971. The 1972 partition did not settle the issue. Because both sides, India and Pakistan, have nuclear weapons, some fear that the potential for large-scale war could lead to the use of these nuclear weapons. In the summer of 2002, India and Pakistan came within a hair’s breadth of war.

Modern India Despite this progress, India has a huge problem with poverty. India has some of the largest slums in the world. The population of India is just over 1 billion people. It is believed that India’s population will surpass that of China by 2020. No success with family planning, birth control/abortion. Necessity of large families in agrarian subsistence lifestyle. India's economy is uneven at best: many Indians lead a subsistence lifestyle, while a sizeable middle class and a small upper class live in the cities. The situation in Kashmir is quite dangerous. Ongoing hostilities continue, and both sides continue a low-level crossfire across the border of this divided region. Three wars have been fought over Kashmir: 1948, 1965, and 1971. The 1972 partition did not settle the issue. Because both sides, India and Pakistan, have nuclear weapons, some fear that the potential for large-scale war could lead to the use of these nuclear weapons. In the summer of 2002, India and Pakistan came within a hair’s breadth of war.

Modern Pakistan Only nation in world created specifically for Muslims. Imposes Islamic law. Since independence has struggled to develop. Has major problems with literacy, overpopulation, and poverty. Much of its investment in the last decade has been in combating terrorism. Khan stressed modernization. His following in West Pakistan held liberal views of Islamic law, leading to dissent within W. Pakistan, and especially in East Pakistan. After Khan left office in 1969, East Pakistan refused to pay taxes to West Pakistan. West Pakistan sent in troops, sparking civil war. Thousands killed, millions escaped to India. India entered the war, helped Bangladesh declare its independence in 1972.