Question

In your response, be sure to address all parts of the question. Use complete sentences; an outline or bulleted list alone is not acceptable.

Use the passage to answer all parts of the question that follows.

a) Explain ONE way in which the passage illustrates a response to European colonialism.

b) Explain ONE way in which the circumstances of the speech might have affected the author's argument in the passage.

c) Explain ONE way in which the author's point of view is significant for illustrating how European ideologies influenced the development of Indian society in the nineteenth century.

Now, suppose that all the English and the whole English army were to leave India, taking with them all their cannon and their splendid weapons and everything, then who would be rulers of India? Is it possible that under these circumstances two nations-the Muslims and the Hindus
-could sit on the same throne and remain equal in power? Most certainly not.
The aims and objects of the Indian National Congress are based upon an ignorance of history and present-day realities; they do not take into consideration that India is inhabited by different nationalities; they presuppose that the various religions, castes, and ethnic groups of India can all be treated alike and all of them belong to the same nation. For the successful running of a democratic government, it is essential that the majority should have the ability to govern not only themselves but also unwilling minorities. I consider the experiment that the Indian National Congress wants to make fraught with dangers and suffering for all the nationalities of India, but especially for the Muslims. The Congress cannot rationally prove its claim to represent the opinions, ideals, and aspirations of the Muslims."
Syed Ahmad Khan, Indian Muslim educator and political reformer, speech given before theMuslim community of Meerut in northern India, 1888

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

a) The passage illustrates a response to European colonialism by challenging the Indian National Congress's aim of uniting all Indians under one nation, regardless of their differences in religion, caste, and ethnicity. The author, Syed Ahmad Khan, argues that India is inhabited by different nationalities and that the various groups cannot be treated alike. This response reflects the way in which European colonialism had divided and categorized Indian society along religious and caste lines, leading to the fragmentation of the country.

b) The circumstances of the speech might have affected the author's argument in the passage because he was addressing the Muslim community of Meerut in northern India, which was a region with a significant Muslim population. The author, himself a Muslim, was likely trying to appeal to his audience by emphasizing the importance of Muslim interests in the context of Indian nationalism. This might have influenced the way in which he framed his argument, highlighting the potential dangers and suffering that the Indian National Congress's policies could bring to the Muslim community.

c) The author's point of view is significant for illustrating how European ideologies influenced the development of Indian society in the nineteenth century because he was a prominent figure in the movement for Muslim political and educational reform in India. His views were shaped by his encounters with European ideas and institutions, particularly during his travels to Britain. As a result, he became a proponent of modern education for Muslims and argued that they needed to adopt Western ideas and institutions to keep up with the changing world. His views illustrate the ways in which European ideologies influenced Indian thought and the development of Indian society in the nineteenth century