CAPF AC 2021 Q106: Modern History – Gandhian Mass Movements (1915 - 1942)

CAPF AC 2021, Paper I (General Ability and Intelligence) · Modern History

Consider the following statements: 1. The growth of socialist tendency in the national movement led to the foundation of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 under the leadership of Acharya Narendra Deva and Jayaprakash Narayan. 2. In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru urged the Congress to accept socialism as its goal and to bring itself closer to the peasantry and the working class. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation

Socialist ideas in the Congress, 1934-36

How to think: both statements describe the leftward turn of the national movement in the 1930s.

Check the year and the names in each.

Statement	Verdict	Fact
1. Congress Socialist Party founded in 1934 under Acharya Narendra Deva and Jayaprakash Narayan	Correct	Formed at Bombay in October 1934, working inside the Congress
2. In 1936 Nehru urged the Congress to accept socialism as its goal	Correct	His presidential address at the Lucknow session, 1936

Background: the Great Depression, the Russian Revolution and the rise of peasant and worker movements pushed younger leaders towards socialism.

Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose were its main voices in the Congress.

Related events of 1936: the All India Kisan Sabha was founded at Lucknow with Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as president.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true; Nehru spoke for socialism at Lucknow in 1936.
(b) Incorrect. Statement 1 is also true; the Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934.
(c) CORRECT. Both statements are true.
(d) Incorrect. Neither statement is false.

Key point

Congress Socialist Party: 1934, Acharya Narendra Deva, Jayaprakash Narayan, Minoo Masani. Nehru's Lucknow address 1936: socialism as the goal. All India Kisan Sabha: 1936, Swami Sahajanand. Faizpur session 1936: first in a village.

Remember

1934: Congress Socialist Party. 1936: Nehru at Lucknow on socialism.

Common mistakes

Dating the Congress Socialist Party to 1936 instead of 1934.
Thinking the Congress Socialist Party was a separate party outside the Congress.
Mixing up Nehru's Lucknow address (1936) with the Karachi resolution of 1931.

Exam tip

Educated guess: both statements carry exact years and names and neither contains a twist word. In Bipan Chandra's text they appear almost in these words.

Sources

Bipan Chandra, History of Modern India — Nationalist Movement 1927-1947 (growth of socialist ideas)
NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter 13: Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

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