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What reforms did the early Indian National Congress demand from British rule?
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Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress leaders Mahatma Gandhi (left) and Sarojini Naidu (right) on the Salt March in western India, March 1930.
The early Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, primarily sought moderate constitutional reforms rather than immediate independence. Its members, largely Western-educated elites, utilized petitions and press campaigns to advocate for a greater role in governance.12
Key demands included:
- Political Representation: The addition of elected nonofficial representatives to the supreme and provincial legislative councils.3
- Civil Service Reform: Real equality of opportunity for Indians to enter the Indian Civil Service (ICS) through the introduction of simultaneous examinations in India and Britain.3
- Economic Relief:
- Reduction of "home charges," which diverted Indian revenue to the India Office budget and pensions for retired officials in Britain.3
- Reduction of military expenditure and administrative expenses.3
- Reimposition of import duties on British manufactures to protect local interests.3
These demands were rooted in the "drain of wealth" theory, which argued that British exploitation and the transfer of resources were the primary causes of India's poverty. While initially dismissed by British officials as the views of a "microscopic minority," these efforts laid the groundwork for later nationalist movements.32