Bondage and Freedom: A History of Modern India (1707-1947)/ Bisheshwar Prasad

The History of the last two centuries in India is the story of the dual process of British imperial domination and the struggle for freedom from that bondage. This dialetic of enslavement and emancipation is the theme of this two volume History of Modern India. The first volume has analysed the forces and factors which brought about rapid extension of British rule encompassing political, economic and cultural life of the people of India The pace of territorial expansion and commercial imperialism carries within its womb seeds of revolt which germinate in the freedom struggle. This grim fight to free India from the all pervading bondage is the theme of the second Volume. It was a two dimensional effort, engendering the sense of national unity, over riding the divisive forces of provincialism, narrow communalism and racial and linguistic separatism on one side, and harnessing the mass power to throw of the foreign yoke, on the other. By the very nature of British hold over the country, culminating in total disarmament of the people, violent struggle with resort to arms was out of the question. Hence arose the comprehensive non-violent movement awakening the national consciousness, which embraces all aspects of national life, and developed into a non-violent war under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi which compelled the rulers to quit India.