"All the leadership had spent their early years in England. They were influenced by British thought, British ideas, that is why our leaders were always telling the British "How can you do these things? They're against your own basic values.". We had no hatred, in fact it was the other way round - it was their values that made us revolt." -Aruna Asaf Ali, a leader of the Indian National Congress. Masani, quoted in Wood, 32, 1989 There is no doubt that British imperialism had a large impact on India. India, having previously been an group of independent and semi-independent...
that lasted throughout the 1920s and 1930s, led to the eventual independence of India in 1947. The one movement that underpinned singular acts of patriotism was the nationalist movement, led by 'Mahatma' Ghandi. Ghandi was "…shrewd enough to utilise the nature of British rule in India to win independence without too much bloodshed" Masani, quoted in Wood, 32, 1989. This movement was made possible by the establishment of English as a unifying language and by acquainting Indians with European political principles, which led to Indian resentment of British nationalism and ultimately to the British loss of control over India.