What were the compelling reasons for the British to free India (and other colonies) after the Second World War?
There is no one single major incident. The freedom struggle was a gradual process. If there is one event I have to really select, I would select the election of Clement Attlee in July 1945. Atlee was more open to Indian struggle. Had Churchill won, then the freedom might have been delayed by a few more years.
There were many ups and downs for the struggle due to a political circus in UK Parliament at that time. There was a general election in 3 consecutive years - 1922, 23, 24 followed by one in 1929 & 31. This musical chair with constant elections confused everyone & slowed down negotiations in that period. Almost all of India's top freedom fighters were lawyers and thus they just kept negotiating at each point.
In 1914, Indians were promised a Dominion status similar to Canada & Australia. Indians thus suspended the freedom movement and helped UK win the war. However, the promise was repudiated. In 1919 came the Government of India Act 1919 that brought some powers to the Indians, but a lot short of independence.
In 1931 came the Gandhi–Irwin Pact after a whole bunch of negotiations following Mahatma's civil disobedience movement in Dhandi. Britishers promised a weak dominion status. However, government changed and again it was watered down.
This resulted in the Government of India Act 1935 that brought in a wide range of powers to the Indian public. Now, we could elect our own leaders directly and these leaders got much more powers. There was a Parliament, legislative councils, Federal Court (Supreme Court). This act partly served a blueprint for our Constitution. The Indian provincial elections, 1937 was a landmark one and one that setup the framework for the Indian democracy.
Then in 1942 came Sir Stafford Cripps who brought out a promise similar to the one in 1914 - win us the war and you will get a dominion status. Cripps' mission This time the Congress leaders didn't budge and launched the Quit Indian movement. That put all the Congress leaders in jail, while many other Indian leaders worked with the British & got powers at the expense of the Congress [Jinnah's Muslim League became a powerful force in this period].
Around the end of the war in 1945, negotiations resumed and this time the Viceroy Lord Wavell offered to give up all powers other than Defense. The Viceroy would still head India's armed forces while all other powers would be with Indian leaders. Simla
There were many ups and downs for the struggle due to a political circus in UK Parliament at that time. There was a general election in 3 consecutive years - 1922, 23, 24 followed by one in 1929 & 31. This musical chair with constant elections confused everyone & slowed down negotiations in that period. Almost all of India's top freedom fighters were lawyers and thus they just kept negotiating at each point.
In 1914, Indians were promised a Dominion status similar to Canada & Australia. Indians thus suspended the freedom movement and helped UK win the war. However, the promise was repudiated. In 1919 came the Government of India Act 1919 that brought some powers to the Indians, but a lot short of independence.
In 1931 came the Gandhi–Irwin Pact after a whole bunch of negotiations following Mahatma's civil disobedience movement in Dhandi. Britishers promised a weak dominion status. However, government changed and again it was watered down.
This resulted in the Government of India Act 1935 that brought in a wide range of powers to the Indian public. Now, we could elect our own leaders directly and these leaders got much more powers. There was a Parliament, legislative councils, Federal Court (Supreme Court). This act partly served a blueprint for our Constitution. The Indian provincial elections, 1937 was a landmark one and one that setup the framework for the Indian democracy.
Then in 1942 came Sir Stafford Cripps who brought out a promise similar to the one in 1914 - win us the war and you will get a dominion status. Cripps' mission This time the Congress leaders didn't budge and launched the Quit Indian movement. That put all the Congress leaders in jail, while many other Indian leaders worked with the British & got powers at the expense of the Congress [Jinnah's Muslim League became a powerful force in this period].
Around the end of the war in 1945, negotiations resumed and this time the Viceroy Lord Wavell offered to give up all powers other than Defense. The Viceroy would still head India's armed forces while all other powers would be with Indian leaders. Simla
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