Trembling raj and the emerging public mentalities, expressions and politics in malabar, 1900-47

Abstract

he Strategy of a poli cal struggle is based on the opponent’s mentality and character. The Strategy of the Indian na onal movement was based on the nature of the colonial state in India. Gandhi realized the semi-hegemonic character of the colonial state and u lized it while devising the strategy of the Indian na onal movement. As the Gandhian strategy heavily relied on the energy of the masses, the mentality of the masses was also important. The Indian na onal movement was a psychological game, where the strategies of the colonial state and the na onal movement were the major players. The years between 1900-47 were an age of crisis for the Bri sh Empire. During this period, Britain faced many sharp poli cal setbacks, which created a defea st mentality for Britain. The dominance of Britain in world poli cs was lost. The Boer Wars began in 1899, a notable incident that deeply impacted Britain’s defea st mentality. The defea st mentality of Britain became intense during the First World War Period and the interwar period and the Second World War period was its climax stage. The leaders of the Indian Na onal Movement used the stages of Britain’s crisis to form counterstrategies and to launch mass movements. The history of mentali es has a par cular relevance in the case of colonial Malabar. The poli cs of Malabar was closer to world poli cs during 1900-47. The presence of Mappilas, Communists, and the Malayalis living outside Keralam played a crucial role in this. Various mentali es and emo ons created by the First World War and the rumours about Britain’s defeat in the First World War became one of the main causes for the rebellion of 1921. The Malabar rebellion of 1921 became a major turning point in the defea st mentality of Britain in India. A er the rebellion, the Bri sh government was haunted by the memories of the rebellion, and a empts were made to hide the defea st mentality before the people. The Courage and fearlessness expressed by the satyagrahi volunteers to suffer lathi charges and go to jail became the main factor behind the success of The Civil Disobedience Movement in Malabar. During 1934-47, with the rise of the le ists into prominence and the poli cs of Malabar came closer to interna onal poli cs. The forma on of Congress ministries in provinces in 1937 was a notable incident in the erosion of colonial power in India. The bureaucrats changed their loyalty and the people started to believe that ‘freedom is near.’ People began to treat Congress leaders as their future rulers. During the Second World War, the conquest of Singapore and Burma by Japan were notable events. Through the large number of Malayali people living in South East Asia, Jap fear spread to the villages of Malabar. Factors such as infla on, famine, and unemployment during the Second World War and the post-war period induced the masses in Malabar to become ac ve par cipants in the popular movements during 1946-47, which became the ‘final assault’ on the Bri sh power in India.