The Home Rule Movement marked a new phase in India’s struggle for self-government. Inspired by the Irish Home Rule movement, it sought greater political rights for Indians and aimed to achieve self-rule within the British Empire. It revived nationalist activity during the First World War and prepared the ground for mass movements under Mahatma Gandhi.
Background
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Dissatisfaction with the moderate politics of petitions and the failure of extremist methods after the Surat Split (1907).
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Disillusionment with the Morley-Minto Reforms (1909) which provided only limited representation.
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The hardships caused by the First World War (taxation, food shortages, recruitment) increased political unrest.
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Influence of the Irish Home Rule Movement encouraged Indian leaders to demand self-government.
Leaders and Organisations
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Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Home Rule League in April 1916 at Pune, focusing on Maharashtra, Karnataka, Central Provinces, and Berar.
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Annie Besant, an Irish theosophist, launched her Home Rule League in September 1916, working in Madras, Bombay, and other regions.
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Together, they popularized the demand for self-government (Swaraj) through speeches, writings, and mass mobilization.
Methods
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Organizing lectures, campaigns, and public meetings to spread political education.
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Publishing newspapers and pamphlets promoting the idea of Home Rule.
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Enlisting students, women, and professionals into political activity.
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Non-violent methods, but with a stronger and more assertive tone than the Moderates.
Achievements
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Revived political activity during the war years when nationalism had declined.
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Brought Moderates and Extremists closer, eventually leading to the Lucknow Pact (1916) between Congress and Muslim League.
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Created widespread demand for self-government as a right, not a concession.
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Prepared the base for mass politics under Mahatma Gandhi after 1919.
Decline of the Movement
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Bal Gangadhar Tilak left for England in 1918 to pursue a court case, weakening leadership.
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Annie Besant was arrested in 1917 but later released; however, her popularity declined.
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After the end of the war, attention shifted to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) and the Rowlatt Act agitation under Gandhi.
Key Takeaway
The Home Rule Movement of 1916 was the first all-India campaign after 1907, bridging the gap between Moderates and Extremists and uniting Indians on the demand for self-government. Though short-lived, it created a new wave of political consciousness and directly paved the way for Gandhi’s mass movements.