Introduction
Alongside the mainstream Congress-led movements, organised peasant and worker mobilisation grew steadily
through the 1920s and 30s — sometimes working with, and sometimes independently of, the Congress —
reflecting rising class consciousness alongside nationalist sentiment.
Bardoli Satyagraha (1928)
- Led by Vallabhbhai Patel in Bardoli, Gujarat, against a steep increase in land revenue.
- Successful, no-violence campaign that forced the government to appoint an inquiry and roll back the increase.
- Women of Bardoli gave Patel the title "Sardar" after this success.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)
- Founded in 1936 at Lucknow, with Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as its first president.
- Sought to organise peasants for demands like abolition of zamindari, reduction of rent, and debt relief — often adopting a more radical, left-leaning stance than the Congress.
- Provided the mass base that would later feed into post-independence land reform demands.
Growth of Trade Unionism
| Milestone | Year | Significance |
|---|
| Madras Labour Union | 1918 | One of the earliest organised trade unions in India, formed by B.P. Wadia |
| All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) | 1920 | First national trade union federation; Lala Lajpat Rai was its first President |
| Royal Commission on Labour | 1929-31 | Investigated labour conditions; recommendations shaped later factory and labour legislation |
📌 Ideological Split: AITUC saw internal splits along ideological lines in the late 1920s-30s (moderate vs communist-influenced factions), reflecting the broader global rise of socialist and communist ideas among Indian intellectuals during this period.
Interplay with the National Movement
Flowchart — Peasant/Worker Movements & Nationalism
Local economic grievances (rent, wages, debt)
↓
Organised into Kisan Sabhas / Trade Unions
↓
Sometimes aligned with Congress campaigns (e.g., Bardoli); sometimes pursued independent, more radical agendas (AIKS, communist-led unions)
✅ UPSC Focus: Bardoli Satyagraha and the "Sardar" title origin · AIKS founding (1936, Lucknow, Sahajanand Saraswati) · AITUC founding (1920) and its first President · Distinction between Congress-aligned and independently radical peasant/labour movements.