📜 Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934) – A Detailed Overview

The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) was one of the most significant phases of India’s struggle for independence, launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930. Unlike the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922), which focused on boycotting British goods, CDM aimed at directly defying British laws through mass protests, non-violent resistance, and civil disobedience.

This movement played a crucial role in weakening British authority in India and paved the way for future constitutional developments, including the Government of India Act, 1935 and ultimately independence in 1947.

🔹 Background & Causes of the Movement

📌 Simon Commission Rejection (1928):

• The Simon Commission, sent to review India’s constitutional status, was boycotted by Indians because it lacked Indian members.
• This created widespread protests and the demand for self-rule.

📌 Nehru Report (1928) & Congress Demand for Purna Swaraj (1929):

• The Nehru Report demanded Dominion Status for India, but the British ignored it.
• In December 1929, during the Lahore Session, Congress declared “Purna Swaraj” (complete independence) as its goal and decided to launch a mass movement.

📌 Economic Exploitation by the British:

• Heavy taxation on salt and essential goods burdened common people.
• Land revenue policies led to the exploitation of peasants.

📌 Gandhi’s Leadership & Non-Violent Struggle:

• Inspired by Satyagraha, Gandhi chose salt tax as the first law to be disobeyed because salt was essential for all Indians, rich or poor.

📜 Launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement

📌 Start Date: March 12, 1930
📌 Leader: Mahatma Gandhi
📌 Main Protest: Salt March (Dandi March)

🔹 Dandi March (March-April 1930):
✅ Mahatma Gandhi marched 240 miles (385 km) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Gujarat, along with 78 followers.
✅ On April 6, 1930, Gandhi broke the salt law by making salt from seawater, defying British laws.
✅ This act sparked nationwide protests and civil disobedience.

🔹 Key Features of the Civil Disobedience Movement

📌 Mass Participation:
✅ Women, students, farmers, and workers joined the movement.
✅ Not just urban areas but rural India also participated in protests.

📌 Boycott of British Goods & Institutions:
✅ Indians refused to pay taxes, particularly the salt tax and land revenue taxes.
✅ Massive boycott of foreign clothes, liquor, and British goods.
✅ Resignation from British government jobs, courts, and educational institutions.

📌 Strikes & Protests Against British Rule:
✅ Salt Satyagraha was spread across India – in places like Tamil Nadu (led by C. Rajagopalachari) and Bengal (led by Surya Sen).
✅ No Tax Campaigns were launched in different provinces.
✅ Princely States also revolted, like the forest satyagraha in Maharashtra & Karnataka.

📌 British Suppression & Brutality:
✅ More than 90,000 people were arrested, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vallabhbhai Patel.
✅ Lathi charges, police violence, and heavy fines were imposed on protesters.
✅ Newspapers and press were censored, and activists were jailed.

📜 Temporary Halt: Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)

📌 Why?
The British government, realizing that suppressing the movement alone would not work, invited Gandhi for talks.

📌 Terms of the Pact:
✅ Gandhi agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement.
✅ Political prisoners were released (except violent revolutionaries).
✅ Indians were allowed to make salt for personal use.
✅ Congress agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference (1931).

❌ But this agreement disappointed many nationalists, as British repression continued, and the Second Round Table Conference failed.

📜 Resumption & End of the Movement (1932-1934)

📌 Resumed in 1932: After the failure of the Second Round Table Conference, Gandhi revived the movement, but it was met with even more British repression.

📌 The Communal Award (1932) & Poona Pact (1932):

• The British granted separate electorates to Dalits, angering Gandhi, who went on a hunger strike.
• This led to the Poona Pact, where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Gandhi agreed to reserved seats for Dalits instead of separate electorates.

📌 Gradual Decline (1934):

• By 1934, the movement slowed down due to massive British suppression.
• Congress withdrew the movement and shifted focus to constitutional reforms.

📜 Impact & Significance of the Civil Disobedience Movement

✅ Weakened British Rule:

• The movement shook the foundation of British power, making them realize they could not rule India forever.

✅ Mass Mobilization & Awareness:

• For the first time, common Indians actively participated in breaking British laws.
• Women, peasants, and students became key contributors to the freedom struggle.

✅ Inspired Future Movements:

• It set the stage for Quit India Movement (1942).
• It also led to major constitutional changes like the Government of India Act, 1935, which provided limited self-governance.

✅ British Changed Strategy:

• Instead of direct repression, they focused on “Divide and Rule”, creating separate electorates to weaken Hindu-Muslim unity.

❌ However, it did not achieve complete independence immediately, and communal divisions deepened, leading to partition debates later.

📜 Conclusion

The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934) was a turning point in India’s struggle for freedom. Through non-violent resistance, mass protests, and defiance of British laws, it proved that Indians were capable of self-rule.

Though the movement was eventually suppressed, it significantly weakened British control and forced them to introduce reforms, ultimately leading to India’s independence in 1947.