Who Were the Moderates?

The Moderate Phase of Indian Nationalism (1885–1905): • The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by A.O. Hume (a retired British civil servant) along with Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Wacha • The first phase of the INC (1885–1905) was dominated by the Moderates • This period is called the 'Moderate Phase' or 'Prayer and Petition Phase'

Core Beliefs of the Moderates:

1. Faith in British Justice — The Moderates genuinely believed that the British Parliament and administrators, when properly informed, would grant India fair treatment
2. Constitutional Methods — They relied on petitions, memorials, resolutions, and delegations to present Indian grievances to the British
3. Gradual Reform — They sought incremental improvements within the existing imperial framework, not immediate independence
4. Education and Awareness — They believed that educating Indians and raising political consciousness was the first step toward self-governance
5. Press and Parliament — Used the Indian press and British Parliament (through sympathetic members) to voice Indian demands

Philosophy — 'Pray, Petition, Protest': • The Moderate method is sometimes summarised as 'Three P's: Pray, Petition, Protest' • They organised annual INC sessions to discuss grievances and pass resolutions • Resolutions were then presented to the government as formal petitions

Why Were They Called 'Moderates'? • They took moderate, non-confrontational positions — avoiding direct confrontation with the British • Distinguished from the later 'Extremists' (1905 onwards) who demanded aggressive action and complete independence

Major Moderate Leaders of the Indian National Congress:

1. Dadabhai Naoroji (1825–1917) — 'Grand Old Man of India': • Born in Mumbai; a Parsi merchant, scholar, and political leader • Developed the 'Drain of Wealth' theory — argued that British colonial rule was draining India's wealth to Britain • Authored 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901) — landmark analysis of British economic exploitation • First Indian elected to the British House of Commons (as Liberal MP for Finsbury Central, 1892) • Served as President of INC three times (1886, 1893, 1906)

2. Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866–1915) — 'Mahatma Gandhi's Political Guru': • Born in Maharashtra; educator, social reformer, and liberal politician • Founded the Servants of India Society (1905) to train Indians in public service • Advocated for free and compulsory elementary education across India • Member of the Imperial Legislative Council; used parliamentary methods to raise Indian issues • Gandhi called Gokhale his political guru and mentor

3. Pherozeshah Mehta (1845–1915) — 'Lion of Bombay': • Parsi lawyer and politician from Bombay • One of the founding members of the INC • Prominent in Bombay municipal politics and legal circles • Known for sharp legal mind and debating skills; called the 'Uncrowned King of Bombay'

4. Surendranath Banerjea (1848–1925) — 'Rashtraguru': • Pioneer of Indian nationalism in Bengal • Founder of the Indian Association (1876) — one of the earliest nationalist organisations • Founded the newspaper 'The Bengalee' to voice nationalist views • Among the first Indians dismissed from the Indian Civil Service (ICS) — galvanised him into nationalism • Known as 'Surrender-not Banerjea' for his defiant spirit

5. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (in early career): • Tilak started as a Moderate but shifted towards the Extremist camp from the 1890s onwards • His slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' marked the beginning of the Extremist ideology

Key Demands of the Moderates:

1. Civil Service Reforms: • Demanded simultaneous holding of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination in India as well as London, so Indians could compete equally • The ICS was exclusively held in London, disadvantaging Indian candidates who had to travel abroad • Demanded reduction in the maximum age limit for ICS exam (which effectively excluded Indians)

2. Indianisation of Government Services: • Demanded that more Indians be appointed to higher administrative positions • Argued that Indians were capable of self-governance

3. Reduction of Military Expenditure: • The colonial government spent a large portion of India's revenue on the military, which served British imperial interests • Moderates demanded this be reduced to free resources for development in India

4. Separation of Judicial and Executive Functions: • Demanded that the judicial and executive (administrative) powers be separated to ensure fair justice

5. Economic Reforms: • Based on the Drain of Wealth theory, demanded that India's resources not be exploited for British profit • Demanded reduction of the 'Home Charges' (money sent to Britain for administrative expenses) • Demanded revision of tariff policies that favoured British manufacturers

6. Expansion of Legislative Councils: • Demanded more elected Indian representatives in the Imperial and Provincial Legislative Councils • Partially achieved through the Indian Councils Act, 1892 — increased the number of elected members

Limitations and Criticism of the Moderate Approach: • The extremists (Lal-Bal-Pal) criticised the Moderates' methods as ineffective 'mendicancy' (begging) • They achieved very limited practical results — the British were unwilling to make substantial concessions • The Moderates' faith in British goodwill was shaken by events like the Partition of Bengal (1905)

Moderate vs Extremist Divide:

Extremists (Also Called 'Assertive Nationalists'): • Leaders: Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Loka­manya), Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai — collectively called 'Lal-Bal-Pal' • Ideology: Rejected British goodwill; believed in mass agitation, boycott of British goods (Swadeshi), and complete independence • Slogan: 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' (Tilak) • Method: Boycott, passive resistance, mass action

Key Differences:

Surat Split (1907): • At the Surat session of INC in 1907, the Moderates and Extremists clashed openly over leadership and ideology • The Extremists walked out — splitting the Congress • The two factions were reunited in the Lucknow Pact of 1916 (Congress and Muslim League also cooperated)

Legacy of the Moderates: • Despite limitations, Moderates created the foundation for the nationalist movement • They established institutions (INC), identified key economic grievances (Drain of Wealth), and built political awareness • The Drain of Wealth theory influenced Gandhi's economic critique of colonialism