How did the sense of the unity develop amongst the Indians?

a. Sense of Unity:

English education, growth of trade and commerce and introduction of modern transport helped the growth of unity. Particularly the middle class engaged in different professions realized their common interest. Trade and industry was also an important factor as because it was realized that their interests were common. For example, it may be said that the economic policy of the British affected all the Indian traders in the same way without any difference. The educated Indian all over the country began to develop a common outlook on the problems of their country. Again, with the growth of a common outlook they also began to come together and discuss the problems facing the country and her people.

b. Educated Indians and Nationalism:

The educated middle class played a leading role in the growth and spread of the idea of nationalism all over the country.

(1) Firstly, the educated middle class all over the country began to develop a common outlook on the problems of their motherland.

(2) Secondly, the middle class also communicated with similar people in different parts of the country as the middle class had the knowledge of English.

(3) Thirdly, through books, journals, pamphlets, etc. the middle class made the people conscious about the economic, social and political problems that the country faced.

(4)Fourthly, through books and propaganda the middle class developed a sense of awareness about national feeling. All this paved the way for the growth of national consciousness among the Indian people.

c. Discontent of the Indians:

The educated Indian middle class played a leading role in spreading nationalist ideas all over the country. It was the middle class who understood the true nature of British rule.

It was this class of people who discovered that the root cause of Indian’s poverty was the drain of wealth of India to Britain.

The middle class also became conscious that in their own country the British, who were foreigners, treated people rudely and racial discrimination was practised.

The educated Indians also found that despite their English education there was hardly any scope for employment under the British administration.

The British always afraid of what they called the wits of the educated Indians tried to exclude them from service. The British rulers, in fact, looked upon even the highly educated Indians with contempt.

All this led to discontent of the middle class against the British rule. They realized until the country was free from foreign rule it would not be possible to remedy all the ills.