RVHS_H2_HIST_P1_Ans

1 Question “Nationalist movements have only themselves to blame for the lack of achievements in the pre-war period.” How far do you agree with this statement? Question Topic Origins, nature and development of pre-World War II nationalism. Question Focus Successes and limitations of pre-war nationalist movements. Definitions “Themselves to blame”  Candidates should reference this phrase to the internal failings of the pre-war nationalist movements.  Such internal failings could include: (i) Factionalism (ii) Over-ambition/radicalization (must be seen in the context of far superior politico-military colonial strength and resolve). (iii) Over-reliance on individual nationalist leaders/lack of sound party and mobilisational structures. (iv) Narrow scope and support (must be linked to physical size and capability of nationalist groups against colonial powers).  Candidates who wish to argue against the given factor can do so by highlighting the overwhelming quality of colonial resolve to hold on to their colonies, backed up by superior military and police forces deployed for effective suppression. “Lack of achievements”  Candidates should highlight that none of the nationalist groups in the pre-war period achieved the ultimate aim of independence and the overthrow of the colonial powers, and go about accounting for that (internal failings Vs external suppression).  Candidates can also choose to question the assumption behind this phrase as a form of (final) higher evaluation. For this, they would have to identify and explain developmental aspects that could be considered as successes. These could be: (i) Expansion of membership numbers and proliferation of nationalist groups. (ii) Intensified nationalist agitation against colonial powers, eliciting a greater military response from the latter (“small successes”). (iii) Politicisation of the masses (at least for the urban masses). (iv) Growth of a “national” mindset (greater inclusiveness). Possible Arguments Candidates can argue: (i) Agree. In this argument, candidates will have to focus on the structural weaknesses of the nationalist movements. They will have to highlight points of internal weaknesses, such as factionalism, over-

2 reliance on leaders, over-ambition and lack of politico-military capability, and show that these issues devastated the groups to that point that they never stood a chance against the colonial powers, even before the colonial suppression came in. Colonial suppression, under this argument, then becomes the final nail in the coffin, though not the underlying reason for the lack of achievements. (ii) Disagree. In this argument, candidates have a dual task in showing that the nationalist groups were decently organised, and their lack of achievements were instead due to overwhelming colonial superiority. In this argument, candidates can acknowledge that there were some weaknesses on the part of the national