Achievements of Moderates

1. The Moderates were able to create a wide national awakening among the people.

2. They popularized the ideas of democracy, civil liberties and representative institutions.

3. They explained how the British were exploiting Indians. Particularly, Dadabhai Naoroji in his famous book Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India wrote his Drain Theory. He showed how India’s wealth was going away to England in the form of:

(a) salaries,

(b)savings,

(c) pensions,

(d) payments to British troops in India and

(e) profits of the British companies.

In fact, the British Government was forced to appoint the Welby Commission, with Dadabhai as the first Indian as its member, to enquire into the matter.

4. Some Moderates like Ranade and Gokhale favoured social reforms. They protested against child marriage and widowhood.

5.The Moderates had succeeded in getting the expansion of the legislative councils by the Indian Councils Act of 1892.

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