Non-Cooperation Movement : Assessment

 Form a critical assessment of Non-Cooperation Movement.


The Non-Coorperation Movement was the brainchild of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi understood the impulse of the populous and the general disquiet among them.It was an excellent response to the grievances which had built against the British. In fact, there was a disappointment among all the quarters. The chief among them were:

• The Post World War I economic hardships
• Grievance against Rowlatt act, 1919
• Jallianwala Bagh massacre
• Hunter Commission report
• Mont-Ford Reform's failure to satisfy Indian aspiration for self-government.

The main goals of the movement were the redressal of Khilafat and Punjab wrongs.

It was in this atmosphere, the Non-Cooperation was endorsed under Gandhiji's able leadership. Other leaders like CR Das, Lala Lajpat Rai, Subhas Chandra Bose, Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad and Zakir Hussain participated in boycott of British Government throughout India. However, the Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 prompted Gandhi to withdraw the movement.

Assessment of Non-Cooperation Movement :

• Hindu-Muslim unity in a hitherto unprecedented manner was witnessed. 
• Nationalist sentiments reached every nook and corner of the nation and people came out in significant numbers in support of the movement.
• The movement politicized every strata of the population, the artisians, peasants, students, urban poor, women, traders, etc.  
• In-spite of the Massive participation, the Non-Cooperation Movement failed in its main objective of securing redressal of Khilafat and Punjab wrongs.
• The other goal that Swaraj could be realised won in one year did not materialize to.
• Boycott of the Legislative Councils by nationalists deprived the country of the services of the dedicated people.
• Boycott of government's educational institutions also proved futile.
• Since employment in government services was dependent on recognised degree, Indian students were now forced to join government schools and colleges.
• Even the lawyers could not continue the Boycott for long and had to go back to the law courts for their livelihood. The movement also drew a cleavage in the ranks of the Congress.
• Above all, the sudden suspension of the movement greatly annoyed the Muslims and gave a rude shock to the sense of national unity. 

One significant aspect of any mass movement is that it cannot be continued indefinitely. Gandhiji understood this aspect very well and he knew that the capacity of the masses to sacrifice was limited. In his book Inida's struggle for independence Bipin Chandra has narrated how these movements served an important purpose to undermine British hegemony and wrest control over the narrative.

Inspite of it's mixed results, the Non-Cooperation Movement remains one of the first organised effort in the Indian struggle for independence, which saw the participation of all the classes.