What was Satyagraha?

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2019). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] (a) Level 1: One mark for each relevant point, two marks for a developed statement e.g. Hindu word meaning truth force / holding onto truth; A form of non-violent resistance; Gandhi's idea in 1919 and saw it as having a strong spiritual force. It involved sit-down strikes and hunger strikes, petitions, protest marches and boycotts. Sometimes resulted in aggression directed at the Muslim community.
2. [5-7] (b) Level 3: Explains reason(s) (Five marks for one explanation, six marks for two explanations, seven marks for three explanations) e.g. To discuss and to agree the development of the subcontinent. It was realised that without the attendance of Congress little progress on the future of the subcontinent could be achieved and so another meeting was needed; Congress did not attend the first conference, the Indian representatives attending struggled to reach agreement themselves contributing to its breakdown; Lord Irwin met Gandhi and made progress so that another Round Table Conference could be held. In this Gandhi took a hard line refusing to recognise the issue of the minorities and also claiming that Congress spoke for the whole of India. Thus this conference made limited headway; The second conference broke up amidst concerns that the British would impose a solution if agreement couldn't be reached. It was then agreed that a third Conference should be held. | [2-4] Level 2: Identifies reason(s) (One mark for each identification) e.g. Congress did not attend the first one; Gandhi took a hard line; There was stalemate in the second; Britain wanted to impose a settlement. | [1] Level 1: Simple statement (One mark for any simple statement) e.g. As the sides could not agree more than one meeting was necessary.
3. [14] (c) Level 5: Explains with evaluation (As top of Level 4 plus judgement / evaluation). | [9-13] Level 4: Explains the Simla Deputation reason(s) AND other reason(s) (Two explanations, one on the Simla Deputation and one on other reason, are worth nine marks. Additional explanations awarded up to 13 marks) e.g. Simla Deputation: The acceptance of demands from Muslim groups proved that there was a better understanding between the British and the Muslim community as a result of the work of leaders like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan; Many Muslims now recognised that they were a separate community who should be treated differently to Hindu groups. Other reasons: In 1905 a new Liberal government had taken office that seemed likely to make changes in political representation. Thus the Muslim community felt they needed their own political party to protect their own interests; Congress was demanding that India should be treated as a cultural and political whole and Hindi should be declared the official language and therefore was seen by Muslim groups as an organisation which would primarily advance the views of the Hindu community leading Muslim groups to conclude that their own political party was needed; The growth of Hindu nationalist groups demanding that Muslims be forcibly converted to Hinduism led to a number of prominent Muslim leaders founding the Muslim League as a means of promoting and safeguarding Muslim identity; When the Hindu community started to protest against the partition of Bengal, Muslim groups saw this as a sign of Hindu influence and became concerned about their own interests – and began to consider their own survival and political representation; The Muslim community became increasingly concerned that their political rights would not be advanced if they continued to rely on the Indian National Congress and that by organising a single Muslim political group they would be organised and united. | [7-10] Level 3: Explains the Simla Deputation reason(s) OR other reason(s) (One explanation is worth seven marks. Additional explanations awarded up to 10 marks). | [3-6] Level 2: Identifies / describes reasons for the formation of the Muslim League (One identification / description is worth three marks. Extra marks are awarded for additional identification / descriptions up to six marks) e.g. The Simla Deputation happened because of the British reaction to the Muslim community; The partition of Bengal was a problem for the Hindu community; There was a growth of Hindu nationalist groups; The Muslim community could no longer rely on Congress. The Muslim community recognised they should be treated in a different way from Hindu groups. | [1-2] Level 1: Simple statement(s) (One simple statement is worth one mark. An answer with additional simple statements is worth two marks) e.g. The Simla Deputation was an important step towards the formation of a political party for Muslim groups.