Explain why the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930 began, focusing on the economic boycott of salt, the role of the Salt March, and the impact on British colonial policy.
Answer
The 1930 Civil Disobedience Movement started because Indians, led by Gandhi, wanted to boycott the colonial salt tax, with the Salt March galvanising mass protest, and the movement pressured Britain to consider constitutional reforms.
Step-by-step solution
- Identify the trigger: the British salt monopoly and tax.
- Explain Gandhi’s strategy of a mass boycott of salt as a symbol of economic protest.
- Describe the Salt March as a non‑violent act of civil disobedience that mobilised millions.
- Note the British response: arrests, crackdown, but also growing political pressure to negotiate reforms.
- Conclude that the movement’s success highlighted the power of non‑violent resistance and forced Britain to reconsider its policy.
Common mistake: Failing to mention the salt tax as the central issue
Concept tested: Civil disobedience and economic boycott
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