What was the Civil Disobedience Movement and how did it start?

The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule. It began with the famous Dandi March (March 12–April 5, 1930): Gandhi walked 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to the Dandi coast to make salt — deliberately breaking the British salt laws. This act of defiance ignited nationwide civil disobedience: people broke salt laws, boycotted foreign goods, refused to pay taxes, and defied forest laws. It was much broader in participation than the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement withdrawn in 1922?

The Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn by Gandhi in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, UP. An angry crowd of protestors set fire to a police station, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi was deeply disturbed — the movement had turned violent, which went against his principle of non-violence (ahimsa). He believed the nation was not yet ready for a non-violent mass movement. Many Congress leaders like Nehru and Subhas Bose were unhappy with the withdrawal.

What was Satyagraha and how did Gandhi use it?

Satyagraha (from Sanskrit: satya = truth, agraha = firmness/insistence) means 'truth-force' or 'soul-force'. Gandhi's philosophy: injustice can be fought without physical violence — by suffering willingly and appealing to the opponent's conscience. If the cause is just, suffering will eventually win. Gandhi first used it in South Africa against racial laws. In India: Champaran (1917, against indigo farming), Kheda (1918, tax relief for farmers), Ahmedabad (1918, mill workers' strike), and then large-scale national movements.

Indian Nationalist Movement

Nationalism in India • Class 10 Social Science • NCERT • CBSE

Indian nationalism grew in response to British colonialism. The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) was the first mass movement under Gandhi. The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) began with Dandi March. The Quit India Movement (1942) demanded immediate independence. Different social groups — peasants, workers, women, tribals — participated in these movements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Civil Disobedience Movement and how did it start?: The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule. It began with the famous Dandi March (March 12–April 5, 1930): Gandhi walked 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to the Dandi coast to make salt — deliberately breaking the British salt laws. This act of defiance ignited nationwide civil disobedience: people broke salt laws, boycotted foreign goods, refused to pay taxes, and defied forest laws. It was much broader in participation than the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement withdrawn in 1922?: The Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn by Gandhi in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, UP. An angry crowd of protestors set fire to a police station, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi was deeply disturbed — the movement had turned violent, which went against his principle of non-violence (ahimsa). He believed the nation was not yet ready for a non-violent mass movement. Many Congress leaders like Nehru and Subhas Bose were unhappy with the withdrawal.
What was Satyagraha and how did Gandhi use it?: Satyagraha (from Sanskrit: satya = truth, agraha = firmness/insistence) means 'truth-force' or 'soul-force'. Gandhi's philosophy: injustice can be fought without physical violence — by suffering willingly and appealing to the opponent's conscience. If the cause is just, suffering will eventually win. Gandhi first used it in South Africa against racial laws. In India: Champaran (1917, against indigo farming), Kheda (1918, tax relief for farmers), Ahmedabad (1918, mill workers' strike), and then large-scale national movements.

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