The British introduced a law stating that the state had a monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt. It also imposed a tax on the sale of salt. Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders felt that it was wrong to impose tax on salt which was an essential commodity for food. The leaders decided to oppose this tax. In
1930, Gandhiji declared that he would lead a march to break the Salt Law. The Salt March was related ro the desire for freedom felt by all the rich and the poor. Gandhiji and his followers marched for over 240 miles from Sabarmati to the coastal rown of Dandi where they broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the sea shore and boiled sea water to produce salt. Peasants, tribals and women participated in large numbers. Pamphlets were published on the Salt Saryagraha.

During 1921 and 1922 the Non-Cooperation Movement gained impetus. Thousands of students left government controlled schools and colleges. Many lawyers like, Motilal Nehru, CR Das, C Raja Gopalachari and Asaf Ali gave up their practices.People lit public bonfires of foreign cloth. The imports of foreign cloth fell drastically between 1920-1922. In Kheda, Gujarat, Paridar peasants organised non-violent, campaigns against high land revenue fixed by the British.

In Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab, many leaders adapted more radical means to gain freedom from the British. Some of the important Radical leaders were Bepin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and La!a Lajpat Rai who were known as La! Bal Pal. They criticised the moderates for their 'politics of prayers' and emphasised the importance' of self-reliance and constructive work. Radicals argued that people rely on their own strength, not on the 'good' intentions of the colonial power.

During the first rwenry years, after its formation the Congress was 'moderate' in its objectives and methods. Some of the moderate leaders were Dadabhai Naoraji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, WC Bonnerji, Surendranath Banerji, Romesh Chandra Dutr, S Subramania Iyer.
(i) They proposed to struggle against the British in a non-violent manner, which the Radicals called the politics of prayers.
(ii) They demanded that Indians be placed in high positions in the government.
(iii) They wanted the Legislative Council to be made more representative, given more power and introduced in provinces where its was not.
(iv) They criticised British rule and sent representatives to different parts of the country to mobilise public opinion.

In 1940 the Muslim League passed a resolution demanding "Independent states" for Muslims in the North-Western and Eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention partition of India or Pakistan.

The First World war changed, the economic and political situation in India as:
(i) There was a huge rise in the defence expenditure of the Government ofIndia.
(ii) The government increased tax on individual incomes and business profits.
(iii) There was a great demand for industrial goods due to the war and this resulted in the decline of European goods being imported into India. This in turn gave the Indian Industrialists a chance to expand their production.

First World War was a global war centred in Europe which began on 28th July, 1914 and lasted until Ll th November, 1918.
The war drew in all the world's economic great powers which were assembled in two opposing alliances:
(i) The Allies included United Kingdom, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, United States.
(ii) Central Powers included Germany, Austria Hungary, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.

From the beginning the Congress sought to speak for and in the name of all the Indians. India is a country of various religions and cultures. The Congress always wanted the contribution of all the people in achieving independence from the British. Thus, the Congress took the secularistic path from the very beginning to achieve its goal.

Certain circumstances made Gandhiji to emerge as a mass leader are as follows:
(i) Gandhiji arrived in India in 1915 from South Africa where he led Indians in non- violent marches against racialism. He was already internationally respected figure.
(ii) His struggle in South Africa had brought him in contact with various types of Indians Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians, Gujarati's, Tamils, north Indians,
upper-class merchants, lawyers and workers.
(iii) He spent 1915-16 in India travelling throughout the country, understanding the people, their needs and the overall situation.
(iv) Initially, he took part in local movements in Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad. During this time he came into contact with Rajendra Prasad and Vailabhbhai Patel.
(v) In 1918, Gandhiji led a successful millworker's strike in Ahmedabad.

Mahatma Gandhi and other prominent leaders of the Freedom Movement thought that it was sinful to tax salt because it is an essential item of our food. In 1930, Gandhiji decided to break this law. Gandhiji felt that his Salt March would become popular and would represent the general desire of freedom from a specific injustice. Gandhiji and his followers marched for over 240 miles from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi where they broke the law by making salt from sea water. Salt March was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism because:
(i) All classes could identify with salt as it was an essential food item.
(ii) Monopoly over manufacturing and selling salt was a sign of oppression of the British.
(iii) Breaking the law would affect British economy.