10th Class Social Science Print Culture and the Modern World

  • question_answer 9)
    Explain, how the print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India.   

    Answer:

    (i) New Ideas and Debates There were many who criticized the existing practices and campaigned for reforms, while others countered the arguments of the reformers. These debates were carried out openly in public and in print. Printed tracts and newspapers not only spread the new ideas, but they also shaped the nature of the debate. All this assisted the growth of nationalism. (ii) Print and Newspaper Despite repressive measures, nationalist newspapers grew in numbers in all parts of India. They reported on colonial misrule and encouraged nationalist activities.When Punjab revolutionaries were deported in 1907, BalgangadharTilak wrote with great sympathy about them in his Kesari.   (iii)Connecting Various Communities Print not only stimulated the publication of conflicting opinions amongst communities, but also connected communities and people living in different parts of India. Newspapers conveyed news from one place to another, creating a pan-Indian identity. (iv)Various Novels on National History Many novel written by Indian novelists like Bankim’s ‘Anandamath’ created a sense of pan-Indian belonging. Munshi Premchand’s novel, ‘Godan’ highlightened how Indian peasants were exploited by the colonial bureaucrats. (v)Various Image of Bharatmata Painters like Raja Ravi Verma and Rabindranath Tagore drew images of Bharatmata which produced a sense of nationalism among Indians. The devotion to mother figure came to be seen as an evidence of one’s nationalism.   


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