Swadeshi

Swadeshi

The Swadeshi (self sufficiency) movement was part of the Indian independence movement. The movement arose during a time in which India was just beginning to realise Britain’s economic exploitation of India. It originated in Bengal as a protest movement against the ill-conceived partition of the province in 1905. However it also spread to various parts of India. The movement gave tremendous inputs to Indian industry and salt, sugar and matches were some of the products that started being manufactured. Jamshedji Tata also opened his steel plant in Bihar. Leaders of the movement included Aurobindo Ghosh, Veer Savarkar, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Lala Lajpat Rai..

The movement paved the way for Gandhian Non-Co-operation and civil disobedience. Swadeshi, as a strategy, was a key focus of Mahatma Gandhi who described it as the soul of "Swaraj" (self rule). Swadeshi was a call for only Indian products to be bought and sold in India. Gandhi encouraged small village businesses and wanted to boycott anything made with British machines or in British factories. Instead, Gandhi urged everyone to become self reliant and begin making their own goods. By practicing Swadeshi, Indians would be able to weaken the British industry and learn how to become economically independent. The concept of Swadeshi remains an important one for India, in light of increasing globalisation in today’s world.