1. Emergence of the Modern Worker in India
2. Early Working-Class Agitations
3. Early Philanthropic Efforts
4. Nationalist Attitudes Towards Labour
5. Support for Workers in British-Owned Enterprises
6. Shift in Nationalist Attitudes (Early 20th Century)
7. The Swadeshi Movement and Labour Uprising (1903-1908)
8. From Economic to Political Involvement
9. Emerging Socialist Influences
10. The Resurgence of the Working-Class Movement (1915-1922)
11. Formation of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
12. Linking Capitalism with Imperialism
13. Growing Nationalist Support
14. Expansion of Trade Unions (1919-1922)
15. Workers’ Participation in National Movements
16. The Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association (TLA), 1918
17. Temporary Decline After 1922
18. Consolidation of Left Ideological Trends in the Late 1920s
19. Growth of Communist Influence in the Labour and Trade Union Movement
20. Workers’ Militancy and the Government’s Reaction
21. Setback to the Labour Movement (1929-1934)
22. Working-Class Participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement
23. Revival of the Trade Union Movement (1937-1939)
24. The Working Class and World War II
25. The Working Class and the Quit India Movement
26. Resurgence of Working-Class Activity (1945-1947)
27. Workers’ Political Mobilization
28. The Naval Ratings Mutiny and the Bombay Strike (1946)
29. Economic Struggles and Industrial Unrest
30. The Mood of Anticipation and Hope
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Topic – Indian Working Class and National Movement (Notes)
Subject – Political Science
(Indian National Movement & Constitutional Development)
Table of Contents
Emergence of the Modern Worker in India
The modern Indian worker emerged in the second half of the 19th century with the gradual development of modern industries and the establishment of utilities such as the railways, postal services, and telegraph networks. The process by which disparate groups of workers across the country evolved into an organized, self-conscious, all-India working class was intricately linked with the growth of the Indian national movement and the formation of the Indian nation-in-the-making. The concept of an Indian working class could not exist before the idea of the Indian people had begun to take shape.
Early Working-Class Agitations
Before the Indian nationalist intelligentsia began to associate with working-class agitations towards the end of the 19th century, there were several sporadic strikes and protests by workers in various regions:
- Textile mills of Bombay, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Surat, Madras, Coimbatore, and Wardha
- Railways and plantations
These early revolts were largely spontaneous, unorganized, and based on immediate economic grievances. They lacked broader political implications or ideological cohesion.
Early Philanthropic Efforts
Some of the earliest organized attempts to improve the conditions of workers emerged in the 1870s, led by philanthropists and social reformers rather than nationalists.
Notable Initiatives:
- In 1878, Sorabjee Shapoorji Bengalee attempted to introduce a Bill in the Bombay Legislative Council to limit working hours, though unsuccessfully.
- In Bengal, Sasipada Banerjea, a Brahmo reformer, founded a Workingmen’s Club (1870) and launched a monthly journal, Bharat Sramjeebi (Indian Labour), aimed at educating workers.
- In Bombay, Narayan Meghajee Lokhanday founded the Bombay Mill and Millhands’ Association (1890) and published the Anglo-Marathi weekly DinaBandhu (Friend of the Poor) in 1880.
Lokhanday organized workers’ meetings and even sent a memorial signed by 5,500 mill workers to the Bombay Factory Commission, demanding minimum worker protections.
These initiatives, though significant, remained philanthropic and did not constitute the beginnings of a true working-class movement, as their leaders were not connected to the national movement.
Nationalist Attitudes Towards Labour
The early nationalists were largely indifferent to the labour question, despite the miserable conditions of workers. Their approach was shaped by the colonial context and the priority of anti-imperialist unity.
Reasons for Indifference:
- Preserving National Unity: Early leaders feared that class divisions could weaken the anti-British struggle.
- Focus on National Issues: As Dadabhai Naoroji stated during the second session of the Indian National Congress (1886), the Congress should deal only with issues that concern the entire nation, leaving class-specific reforms to separate organizations.
- Industrialization as a Priority: Nationalists saw industrialization as a cure for poverty and opposed any labour legislation that might slow down the growth of Indian industries.
Opposition to Factory Legislation:
- The Factories Acts of 1881 and 1891 were opposed by many nationalist newspapers, as these were viewed as British attempts to curb Indian industrial competitiveness.
- Labour laws limiting working hours were seen as tools of foreign economic control rather than genuine worker protection.
However, G.S. Agarkar’s Mahratta stood out as a pro-labour voice, urging Indian mill owners to make concessions to workers.
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