Public Opinion & Different Facets of the War of Independence

Abstract

The war of independence of 1857 though ended up in complete failure, but it also paved the way for the end of Company’s rule in India. During the last 150 years, much has been said or written about its objectives and the causes of its failure. Both historians and fiction writers drew their conclusions from multiple and diverse perspectives. These conclusions, mostly based on selective truths, partly help the young generation to understand and learn a lesson from the history. The war, which broke out in various corners of Indian domain, was inspired and motivated by various reasons. This multi-faceted event of world history caused human miseries to both sides. The question here is whether this was only a reaction to Company’s policies which gained momentum with the final spark from Meerut and then things took there own course? Or, it was only the vested economic and political interests of various players, which successfully maneuvered the public mood and motivated them to take part in the war? Moreover if it was a war for regaining the sovereignty of India, as claimed by many scholars of South Asian origin, could Indian nationalism have existed then? Most of all, were there present such tools which could have effectively influenced or helped in the formation of a public opinion from which rebellions get inspired? While trying to look afresh on the various facets of the event, this paper will unfold the role of the press, its influence, policies, laws regulating the press and the level of mass participation in the war.