The Ideological Differences Between Moderates and Extremists in the Indian National Movement With Special Reference to Surendranath Banerjea and Lajpat Rai 1883-1919.

Abstract

Surendranath Banerjea was typical of the 'moderates' in the Indian National Congress while Lajpat Rai typified the 'extremists'. This thesis seeks to portray critical political biographies of Surendranath Banerjea and of Lajpat Rai within a general comparative study of the moderates and the extremists, in an analysis of political beliefs and modes of political action in the Indian national movement, 1883-1919. It attempts to mirror the attitude of mind of the two nationalist leaders against their respective backgrounds of thought and experience, hence events in Bengal and the Punjab loom larger than in other parts of India.