Social Background of Indian Nationalism is a doctoral thesis of A.R.Desai which documents the changes that have occurred in the Indian society that have contributed to the development of nationalism up to the start of the Second World War.

Factors which Prepared Background of Indian Nationalism

• The British government, Christian mission and English education were three main sources of colonial impact on Indian society. The British government replaced the indigenous systems of administration and governance. The mission made efforts to convert Indian to Christianity. British educationists tried to spread education to bring about a change in the outlook of the indigenous population. The British community in India also had an influence on the people in different parts of the country. The port, towns and coastal areas were more affected, at least in the beginning of the British Raj. The emergence of a national consciousness, the realization of the value of organization and of the importance of agitation led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. Formation of Congress was a strong foundation of Indian nationalism
• Changes in Mode of Production and Economic contradictions- Contradictions of the British rule were exposed for the first time in the economic field and they were highlighted in the writings of many prominent nationalists like Dadabhai Naroji and R C Dutt. Unequal control over forces of production and export of surplus was exposed by early nationalists. Images of pre-colonial fabled riches of India were contrasted with the abject poverty of the British India. The Swadeshi Movement further strengthened loyalty to the national economy. A R Desai also suggested that rise of nationalism was rooted in the anti-imperial and anti-bureaucratic ideology.
• Political awakening- First significant move was made in the form of the establishment ofIndian National Congress in 1885. It was realised by the national leadership that the way towards achievement of nationalistic goal is through political power. Political struggle led to gradual reforms and it also led to mobilisation of masses.
• Role of charismatic personalities- Many charismatic leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Subhash and Tilak also played a leadership role in mobilising millions of masses and united them. These leaders made the masses to understand the social and economic contradictions of the British rule.
• Role of modern ideas and education – Indians, in the colonial period, read about western liberalism and freedom. Yet, they lived under a western, colonial rule that denied Indians liberty and freedom. This kind of contradiction shaped many of the structural and cultural changes. Indian nationalist leaders were quick to grasp this irony and took these ideas to masses. Use of vernaculars was capitalised to spread the ideas of modernity and democracy.
• Role of middle class- Colonialism created new classes and communities which came to play significant roles in subsequent history. The urban middle classwas the main carrier of nationalism and it led the campaign for freedom. The emerging middle class began, with the aid of western style education, to challenge colonialism on its own ground. Ironically, colonialism and western education also gave impetus for the rediscovery of tradition. This led to the developments on the cultural and social front which solidified emergent forms of community at the national and regional levels. Leaders from the middle class also formed early political organisations.
• Cultural revolt- Colonial interventions also crystallised religious and caste based communities, and they, too, became major players. In fact, attack on cultural identities became the basis of the First War of Independence of 1857. Cultural arrogance and a sense of superiority of white British also provoked Indians to prove them wrong. Along with secular ideals of liberty and self rule, cultural dimensions were also highlighted by leaders like Tilak, Annie Besant and Veer Savarkar. They declared that freedom or Swara) was their birth-right and thus, they fought for political, cultural and economic freedom.
• Reformist and revivalist agenda – Social reform agenda was also clubbed with the agenda of liberation. Social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Dayanand Saraswati preached nationalism as well. A R Desai saw socio-religious movements as an expression of national awakening due to contradictions between the old value system and new economic realities. The First War of Independence sought to revive the glorious period of Indian history and Bahadur Shah Zafar was chosen as its symbol.
• Impact of global events – Events like the Russian Revolution aroused the revolutionary spirits in India as well. Defeat of imperial powers like Italy, at the hand of Ethiopia, also boosted the morale of nationalists in colonial countries like India. Socialist nationalism also grew, in the meanwhile, in 1930s, both within and outside the Congress.
• Communalism and divisive politics – The British policy of divide and rule also sowed seeds of a parallel nationalism which ultimately led to the bifurcation of the nation at the time of independence.

         A R Desai considers that Indian Nationalism as a product of material conditions in India and nationalism was non existent before the arrival of the British. New material conditions were a result of industrialisation, new land policy and Modernisation. British rule led to economic disintegration as well as economic reforms, which led tQ the birth of new social consciousness and class structure, through which, nationalism followed. Different classes like industrialists and peasants had their own grievances, which along with common desire for freedom led to the birth of nationalism. According to him, the role of education in the birth of nationalism is over played and instead, change in material conditions was the real cause. Class based inequalities and contradictions, according to Desai, determine the nature of social change.A common exploitative land tenure system,a uniform emergent pan-Indian working class and new classes were other contributing factors.

     Thus, nationalism in India arose as a result of plurality of factors. It passed through various stages which are marked by various phases of national movement. Initial political movement was dominated by moderate nationalists who lacked a mass base and hence, nationalistic feelings were also limited to middle class and intellectual circles. Mass-based movement started with the arrival of Gandhi an politics. A parallel aggressive nationalism also emerged in the form of revolutionary movements in various parts of India. However, nationalism was bifurcated while national struggle was still going on and a section of Muslims, led by Jinnah, started to demand a separate nation. There were other hurdles as well in the rise of nationalism including casteism, communalism, poor response of Southern provinces, divisive politics of the British, poor response of princely states and regionalism.