Social Background of Indian Nationalism

Desai provides a comprehensive examination of the rise in Indian nationalism in different forms such as cultural, economic, religious, and political. The text provides a historical and systematic explanation of how Indian nationalism has developed. In order to understand the different political movements which have arisen in India, it is necessary to acquire a sound comprehension of how the Indian society transformed in response to new social forces. Using historical materialism to analyze Indian history, Desai has singled out and assessed the variables which have contributed to Indian nationalism. The book takes into account the impact of these changes on different aspects of the Indian society.
The text contains 19 chapters, arranged in chronological order according to the development of Indian history. Some of the topics covered by the chapters are Economy And Culture In Pre British India, Britain s Conquest of India, How India s Agriculture Transformed Under British Rule, the Social Consequences Resulting from the Transformation of India s Agriculture, the Decline of Village Artisan Industries, the Development of Modern Indian Industries, the Contribution of Modern Methods of Transport to Indian Nationalism, the Political and Administrative Unification of India after the British Rule, New Social Classes, the Crusade Against the Caste System and Untouchability, Religious Reformity amongst Hindus and Muslims, and the Increase in Political Movements. The end of the chapters are followed by an epilogue, a bibliography, an index, and a list of references for further reading.
Social Background Of Indian Nationalism is still considered to be the most prominent sociological interpretation on the subject of Indian nationalism. The book was first published in 1946.