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The Great Partition summary
Yasmin Khan
The Making of India and Pakistan
19 mins
Brief summary
The Great Partition by Yasmin Khan is a compelling historical account of the violent division of India and Pakistan in 1947. It delves into the political and social factors that led to this tragic event, shedding light on its lasting impact.
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The Great Partition
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A world transformed
When Jawaharlal Nehru, the Cambridge-educated lawyer who had become Gandhi’s closest political heir, walked out of prison in June 1945, he stepped into a world transformed. World War II was over, but the British Empire was bankrupt and exhausted. The India Nehru had fought to free no longer seemed to exist.
For decades, Mahatma Gandhi, the architect of India’s independence movement, had offered a clear path forward: peaceful protests, spinning wheels, and moral authority would eventually wear down imperial rule. But by the mid-1940s, this philosophy faced challenges it was never designed to address.
The war had changed everything. Britain could no longer afford to maintain its vast empire. Prime Minister Clement Attlee’s Labour government was committed to decolonization, but on British terms and timelines. The question was no longer whether India would gain independence, but how quickly the British could withdraw without losing face.
The Indian political landscape had also shifted dramatically. The Muslim League, once a moderate organization seeking safeguards for Muslim minorities, had become a mass movement demanding a separate homeland called Pakistan. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who had once worked alongside Hindu leaders in the same political party, now insisted that Muslims and Hindus were two entirely different nations that could never coexist peacefully.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress, which had united diverse communities under the umbrella of anti-colonial struggle, found its authority challenged from many directions. Hindu nationalist groups like the RSS had grown stronger during the war years. Regional parties questioned whether a centralized Indian state could accommodate their interests. The coalition that had opposed British rule was fracturing along religious, linguistic, and ideological lines.
The human cost of this political transformation was already becoming visible across the subcontinent. Communal riots had erupted in various cities during the final war years. Neighborhoods that had coexisted peacefully for generations suddenly witnessed violence between neighbors. The social bonds that had held diverse communities together were beginning to strain under the pressure of competing religious nationalisms.
Civil servants who had spent entire careers maintaining imperial order watched their familiar world dissolve. Local administrators received contradictory instructions from different political authorities. Police forces struggled to maintain neutrality as communal tensions rose. The entire apparatus of government was slowly losing its grip on a society in transition. The easy pluralism of pre-war India was giving way to a more brittle and suspicious social atmosphere.
As 1945 drew to a close, the stage was set for a series of political decisions that would reshape the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The old certainties had crumbled, with no new consensus on how to replace them.
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What is The Great Partition about?
The Great Partition (2007) The story of how British India was divided into two separate nations in 1947 exposes the human cost of political decisions made under impossible pressure. Drawing on survivor testimonies and historical records, it demonstrates how centuries of coexistence on the subcontinent collapsed into communal violence and permanent separation
The Great Partition Review
The Great Partition by Yasmin Khan (2007) dives into the intricacies behind one of the most significant events in modern history. Here's why this book is a compelling read:
- Unveils untold stories and perspectives from those affected by the Partition, offering a nuanced understanding of this historical event.
- Explores the human cost and emotional turmoil experienced by millions during the Partition, shedding light on the personal impacts of political decisions.
- By intertwining personal narratives with historical context, it brings history to life, creating a vivid and engaging portrayal of this tumultuous period.
Who should read The Great Partition?
- History buffs interested in 20th-century decolonization and the end of the British Empire
- Current affairs followers trying to understand the historical roots of contemporary India-Pakistan tensions
- Anyone who enjoys accessible historical narratives that connect past events to present-day issues
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The Great Partition FAQs
What is the main message of The Great Partition?
The main message of The Great Partition is the impact and aftermath of the division of India in 1947.
How long does it take to read The Great Partition?
The estimated reading time for The Great Partition is several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just a few minutes.
Is The Great Partition a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Great Partition is a compelling read delving into the complexities of history. It's worth reading for its in-depth analysis and insights.
Who is the author of The Great Partition?
Yasmin Khan is the author of The Great Partition.
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