Launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920, the Non-Cooperation Movement was a mass movement aimed at resisting British rule in India through non-violent means.
- Mass Mobilization: The movement marked a shift in the Indian National Congress's strategy, from elite leadership to mass participation. It sought to involve the common people of India in the struggle for independence.
- Gandhi emphasized non-cooperation with the British government, including boycotting British goods, institutions, and honors. This included resigning from government jobs, withdrawing from educational institutions, and boycotting elections.
- The movement effectively mobilized the masses, including peasants, workers, students, and women, in towns and villages across India.
- Impact on Indian National Movement:
- The Non-Cooperation Movement brought widespread political awareness among the Indian masses and made the Indian struggle for independence a truly national movement.
- It marked the first large-scale participation of various sections of society in the freedom movement, transcending social and economic barriers.
- Gandhi’s leadership and his emphasis on non-violence and non-cooperation made the movement unique and gave it broad appeal.
Conclusion: The Non-Cooperation Movement was a key turning point in the Indian National Movement, marking the rise of mass mobilization and showing the potential of non-violent resistance against colonial rule.