Independence and Partition in India, 1919-47

Aims

This course aims to: 

• give you a secure base of knowledge and understanding of the outline of events and of the issues surrounding Britain’s withdrawal from India and the decision to partition
   
• help you to understand and interpret source material of different types relating to Indian independence and partition
   
• help you to discuss and make an informed assessment of the debate and arguments that surround the issues of Indian independence and partition

Content

The 1857 uprising in India set in motion a process of challenge to the British Raj that led eventually to the British decision in 1947 to withdraw from India completely. How did one of the world’s most powerful imperial powers end up having to withdraw from its Indian empire and why did it decide to partition its most prized colonial possession?

Key to the process was the development of an Indian nationalist movement which not only called for political reforms, but also changed the conception of India from a medieval-style empire to the modern idea of a nation state. The 1919 Amritsar massacre helped propel the Indian nationalist movement into a much more radical approach which would not settle for anything short of complete independence. However, the heavily Hindu nature of the movement alarmed many Muslims, who created the All-India Muslim League to demand the creation of a separate Muslim state, Pakistan. 

The inspiring, if singular, example of ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi gave Indian nationalism a global image, but his vision of a future India modelled on the simple virtues of the Indian village could not prevail against the political priorities of Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League. The Second World War threw the Indian situation into crisis, with Japanese invasion into Assam and famine in Bengal. Eventually London stopped prevaricating and decided to wind up its Indian Empire, but the last Viceroy, Mountbatten, proved unable to reconcile the different Indian demands and took the decision to partition the country, leading directly to an outbreak of violence and killing that left an estimated one million Indians dead.

This course is not about attaching blame or pointing fingers; it seeks to understand and explain both what happened and why its disastrous consequences could not be avoided.

Presentation of the course 

The main method of presentation will be illustrated lectures, with time built in for discussion. We will also look at some source material to see how it can be evaluated to help us understand the issues and the outlook of the people who created it.

Course sessions

1. 1857 and After – an Empire or a Nation? – the impact of the 1857 uprising and the development of the Indian nationalist movement.
    
2. Reform or retreat? – the development of British policy towards India up to the outbreak of the Second World War.
    
3. Congress and League – religious, sectional and political divisions within the Indian nationalist movement: Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah and Bose.
    
4. The Raj at War – the impact of the Second World War on India, the Quit India! campaign, famine in Bengal and Wavell’s viceroyalty.
    
5. Independence and Partition – the post-war manoeuvres and negotiations leading to the partition of India in 1947 and the massacres that accompanied it.

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• to talk with confidence and knowledge about major themes and events in the story of India’s fight for independence and the decision to introduce partition
   
• to discuss with insight and understanding the major political ideas and ideologies which surrounded the advancement of Indian nationalism, the parallel development of Muslim nationalism, and which underpinned British policy towards them
   
• to reach an informed assessment of the historical debate surrounding Britain’s decision to withdraw from India and the decision to implement partition

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.