August Declaration of 1917

The August Declaration, officially known as the Montagu Declaration, was presented on August 20, 1917, by the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Samuel Montagu. Delivered in the British House of Commons, this policy statement marked a major shift in the political objectives of colonial rule in India. It laid the foundation for the Government of India Act 1919 and introduced the concept of self-governing institutions within the British Empire.

Background and Trigger Factors

Several developments during the First World War pushed the British administration to revise its colonial policy.

• Home Rule Movement: The Home Rule Leagues of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant gained widespread popularity between 1916 and 1917. Their extensive public outreach educated the masses and created pressure on the colonial government.
• Internment of Annie Besant: The arrest of Annie Besant, George Arundale, and B.P. Wadia in June 1917 sparked public protests across India. Prominent leaders like S. Subramania Aiyar renounced their knighthood, while Moderates joined the Home Rule League in solidarity.
• Lucknow Pact (1916): The reunion of Moderate and Extremist factions within the Indian National Congress and their alliance with the All-India Muslim League ended communal and organizational divisions, presenting a united constitutional front.
• Mesopotamian Commission Report (1917): The report criticized the incompetence of the Government of India in managing the Mesopotamian Campaign during World War I, leading to the resignation of Secretary of State Austen Chamberlain and the appointment of Edwin Montagu.

Core Provisions of the Declaration

The declaration outlined the future direction of British administrative policy in India through specific commitments.

• Increasing Association of Indians: The statement promised greater inclusion of Indians in every branch of the colonial administration.
• Development of Self-Governing Institutions: It declared the gradual development of self-governing institutions as the long-term goal of British rule.
• Progressive Realization of Responsible Government: The policy explicitly mentioned “responsible government” in India as an integral part of the British Empire, marking the first formal usage of this term by the British government.
• British Control over Timing and Pace: The British government retained the sole authority to determine the timing and stages of political progress based on the cooperation and responsibility displayed by Indian leaders.

National Response and Political Division

The announcement received varied reactions from different sections of Indian political leadership.

• Moderate Reaction: Moderate leaders, led by Surendranath Banerjea, welcomed the declaration as the “Magna Carta of India.” They supported the proposal and subsequently separated from the Congress to form the Indian National Liberal Federation in 1919.
• Extremist Reaction: Nationalist leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak termed the declaration “unworthy and disappointing, a sunless dawn.” They criticized the lack of a clear timeline for achieving full self-government.
• Release of Leaders: Following the declaration, the colonial government released Annie Besant in September 1917 to calm political tension. She went on to preside over the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in December 1917.

Key Facts and Trivia

Edwin Samuel Montagu visited India in late 1917 to gather opinions from various political groups, working directly with Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. Their joint report formed the basis of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, enacted as the Government of India Act 1919. The August Declaration was the first official statement where the British Empire recognized responsible government as its political objective in India. Despite this commitment, the colonial government passed the repressive Rowlatt Act in early 1919, creating widespread public distrust that led directly to the Rowlatt Satyagraha and the Non-Cooperation Movement.