Gandhi’s Eleven Demands (January 31, 1930) - UPSC Notes

 

Gandhi’s Eleven Demands (January 31, 1930)

Mahatma Gandhi presented eleven demands to the British government as a final attempt at peaceful negotiation before launching the Civil Disobedience Movement. These demands addressed general public welfare, capitalist interests, and peasant rights. He gave a deadline of January 31, 1930, for the British to accept them.

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Categorization of Gandhi’s Eleven Demands

1. Issues of General Interest

1. Reduce expenditure on Army and Civil Services by 50%

   • The British were spending too much on administration while Indians suffered from poverty.

2. Introduce total prohibition (ban on alcohol)

   • The British encouraged alcohol consumption for revenue, but Gandhi wanted to curb it for moral and social reasons.

3. Reform the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)

   • The British police constantly spied on and harassed Indian leaders and activists.

4. Change the Arms Act to allow Indians to hold firearms

   • Indians were not allowed to own weapons, but British officials had no such restrictions.

5. Release all political prisoners

   • Freedom fighters should not be treated as criminals.

6. Accept the Postal Reservation Bill

   • This bill was meant to help Indians get fair treatment in postal services.

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2. Specific Bourgeois (Capitalist) Demands

7. Reduce the rupee-sterling exchange ratio to 1s 4d

   • The high exchange rate favored British businesses and made Indian exports less competitive.

8. Introduce textile protection (protect Indian industries from foreign competition)

   • Indian textile industries were being destroyed by cheap British imports.

9. Reserve coastal shipping for Indians

   • British companies dominated shipping, leaving Indian businesses struggling.

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3. Specific Peasant Demands

10. Reduce land revenue by 50%

• Farmers were burdened by high taxes and often lost their land to moneylenders.

11. Abolish the salt tax and the government’s monopoly on salt production

• The British controlled salt production and imposed heavy taxes, making it unaffordable for the poor.

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British Response & Gandhi’s Decision

• The British government did not accept any of these demands.

• In response, the Congress Working Committee authorized Gandhi to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement at a time and place of his choice.

• By February 1930, Gandhi had decided to make salt the central issue of the movement.

• This led to the Dandi March (March 12-April 6, 1930), where Gandhi and his followers broke the salt law, marking the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Significance

• The Eleven Demands represented the interests of all sections of Indian society—peasants, workers, capitalists, and the general public.

• Their rejection by the British proved that India needed complete independence, not just reforms.

• This led to mass participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement, making it one of the most significant movements in the freedom struggle. 🚩

What Does 1s 4d Mean?

In the old British currency system (before 1971):

• 1 pound (£) = 20 shillings (s)

• 1 shilling (s) = 12 pence (d)

So, 1s 4d means:

• 1 shilling (12 pence) + 4 pence = 16 pence

Context of Gandhi's Demand

At that time, the British controlled the exchange rate between the Indian Rupee and the British Pound.

• The exchange rate was 1 Rupee = 18 pence (higher value for the pound, making Indian exports expensive).

• Gandhi demanded it to be reduced to 1 Rupee = 16 pence (1s 4d) to make the Rupee stronger.

Why Was This Important?

• A lower exchange rate would make Indian goods cheaper in the world market.

• It would help Indian traders and businesses compete against British goods.

• It was an economic demand to reduce British control over India’s currency.