Trade Union and Communist Party

1. Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha”

Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha” established in 1948 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”B. Krishna Pillai, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and K.C. George” option2=”Jayaprakash Narayan, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and M.N. Roy” option3=”C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, K. Kamaraj and Veeresalingam Pantulu” option4=”Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam and G.G. Mehta” correct=”option4″]

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UPSC IAS – 2018
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The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) was founded on December 24, 1948, by socialists, Forward Bloc followers, and independent unionists. The key founders included Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam, and G.G. Mehta.
HMS is one of the major trade union federations in India, formed after a split from the Hind Mazdoor Panchayat and the Indian National Trade Union Congress.
It is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The other options list individuals associated with different political or social movements. B. Krishna Pillai and E.M.S. Namboodiripad were prominent communists. Jayaprakash Narayan was a socialist leader, Deen Dayal Upadhyay was associated with the Jan Sangh, and M.N. Roy was a radical humanist and communist. C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer was Dewan of Travancore, K. Kamaraj was a Congress leader, and Veeresalingam Pantulu was a social reformer.

2. Consider the following statements : 1. The Factories Act, 1881 was p

Consider the following statements :

  • 1. The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.
  • 2. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option2″]

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UPSC IAS – 2017
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Statement 1 is incorrect. The Factories Act, 1881, was the first major legislation in British India to regulate factory labour, but its scope was limited. It primarily focused on improving the working conditions of children (setting minimum age for employment, limiting working hours) and providing some basic provisions for health and safety (like fencing of machinery). It did *not* deal with fixing wages or recognize the right to form trade unions. Wage fixing was not a feature of early labour laws, and trade unions were legally recognized much later with the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926.
Statement 2 is correct. Narayan Meghaji Lokhande (1848-1897) is widely regarded as a pioneer of the labour movement in India. He organized factory workers in Bombay in the late 19th century, advocated for better working conditions (including a weekly holiday), and founded the Bombay Mill Hands Association in 1890, which is considered one of the first labour organizations in India, although not a registered trade union in the modern sense.
– The Factories Act of 1881 was a nascent attempt to regulate factory conditions, mainly for children.
– N.M. Lokhande played a crucial early role in organizing Indian industrial workers.
Subsequent Factories Acts (e.g., 1891, 1911, 1922, 1934) gradually extended regulations to cover more factories, different age groups, and more aspects of working conditions. The labour movement in India grew significantly in the early 20th century, leading to the passage of the Trade Unions Act, 1926.

3. The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for

The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for

[amp_mcq option1=”the participation of workers in the management of industries.” option2=”arbitrary powers to the management to quell industrial disputes.” option3=”an intervention by the British Court in the event of a trade dispute.” option4=”a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.” correct=”option4″]

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UPSC IAS – 2017
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The correct answer is D, which states that the Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.
The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 was enacted by the British government in India primarily to suppress trade union activities and restrict the right to strike. It introduced a system of Courts of Inquiry and Boards of Conciliation (acting as tribunals) for settling disputes and made strikes illegal in public utility services unless a mandatory notice period was given. It also declared sympathetic strikes illegal.
Option A is incorrect as the Act was restrictive towards workers’ rights, not promoting participation in management. Option B is partially true in that it gave powers to intervene but ‘arbitrary powers to management’ is not the precise focus; it gave powers to the government and established mechanisms for dispute resolution and restriction. Option C is incorrect; while the British legal framework underpinned the Act, the primary mechanism was through designated boards/tribunals, not direct intervention by British Courts for every dispute. Option D best captures the essence of the Act’s provisions: creating tribunals for dispute resolution and imposing significant restrictions/bans on strikes.

4. Who among the following were jailed in the Kanpur Bolshevik conspiracy

Who among the following were jailed in the Kanpur Bolshevik conspiracy case in 1924 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Muzaffar Ahmad, S. A. Dange, Shaukat Usmani, Nalini Gupta” option2=”Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Usmani” option3=”S. A. Dange and S. V. Ghate” option4=”Muzaffar Ahmad and S. S. Mirajkar” correct=”option1″]

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UPSC CAPF – 2019
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The Kanpur Bolshevik conspiracy case in 1924 was a controversial trial initiated by the British government against early communist leaders in India. The main individuals accused and subsequently jailed in this case were Muzaffar Ahmad, S. A. Dange, Shaukat Usmani, and Nalini Gupta. These individuals were pioneers of the communist movement in India and were charged with conspiracy to wage war against the King-Emperor.
– The case targeted prominent early communists in India.
– The objective was to suppress the burgeoning communist movement.
Several other individuals were named in the FIR but were not arrested or tried, including M.N. Roy. The case brought national attention to the communist movement and its leaders, despite being seen by many as a politically motivated trial intended to curb anti-colonial activities linked to socialist or communist ideas.

5. Who among the following was NOT a Communist leader in colonial India ?

Who among the following was NOT a Communist leader in colonial India ?

[amp_mcq option1=”P. C. Roy” option2=”S. A. Dange” option3=”Muzaffar Ahmad” option4=”Singaravelu” correct=”option1″]

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UPSC CAPF – 2015
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P. C. Roy (Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy) was NOT a Communist leader in colonial India.
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy (1861-1944) was a distinguished Bengali chemist, educationist, historian, industrialist, and nationalist. He was known for his pioneering work in chemistry and his efforts to promote Indian industries (Swadeshi enterprise). While he was a prominent figure in the nationalist movement, he was not associated with the Communist movement.
S. A. Dange (Shripad Amrit Dange), Muzaffar Ahmad, and Singaravelu Chettiar (M. Singaravelu) were among the founding figures of the Communist movement in India. They were involved in organizing early trade unions, socialist groups, and played key roles in establishing the Communist Party of India (CPI) in the 1920s.

6. Directions : The following five (5) items consist of two statements, S

Directions :
The following five (5) items consist of two statements, Statement I and Statement II. Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below.

Statement I :
35. The Communists left the All India Trade Union Congress in 1931.
Statement II :
By 1928, the Communists were no longer working with the mainstream national movement.

[amp_mcq option1=”Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I” option2=”Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I” option3=”Statement I is true but Statement II is false” option4=”Statement I is false but Statement II is true” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2017
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Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.
– Statement I: The Communists, who had gained influence in the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), split from it in 1929 following ideological differences and formed the Red Trade Union Congress (RTUC). While the initial split was in 1929, by 1931, they were clearly operating as a separate entity outside AITUC.
– Statement II: By the late 1920s, influenced by Comintern directives and their own analysis of the Indian situation, the Communists adopted a more independent and critical stance towards the Indian National Congress and the mainstream national movement, viewing it as bourgeois. This distancing was evident around 1928-1929.
The ideological divergence of the Communists from the Congress-led mainstream national movement (Statement II) directly led to the split within AITUC, an organization where Congress influence was also present, resulting in the Communists forming their own trade union body (Statement I). The split in AITUC was a manifestation of this broader political shift.

7. Who among the following was not a woman labour leader who organised wo

Who among the following was not a woman labour leader who organised workers in the strikes in the 1920s ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Sarala Devi Chaudhurani” option2=”Ushabai Dange” option3=”Prabhabati Devi” option4=”Anasuya Behn” correct=”option3″]

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UPSC CDS-2 – 2022
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The correct answer is C) Prabhabati Devi.
Anasuya Behn Sarabhai was a pioneer labour leader in India, notably organizing textile workers in Ahmedabad in the late 1910s and 1920s. Ushabai Dange, wife of S.A. Dange, was also active in the communist-led trade union movement in the 1920s and beyond. Sarala Devi Chaudhurani, while primarily known for her nationalist and social reform activities, also had some involvement in social and labour-related work, though perhaps less focused on organizing specific strikes in the 1920s compared to others. Prabhabati Devi, likely referring to Prabhabati Devi, wife of Jayaprakash Narayan, was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement and social work but is not widely documented as a labour leader who specifically organized workers in strikes during the 1920s in the same context as the other options.
Many women participated in the labour movement in India during the early 20th century, often inspired by or linked to the freedom struggle. Figures like Anasuya Behn Sarabhai played a crucial role in the formation of early trade unions, such as the Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association. While women’s participation was significant, the question specifically asks about organizing workers in strikes.

8. Which one among the following was India’s first trade union in the pro

Which one among the following was India’s first trade union in the proper sense of the term?

[amp_mcq option1=”Bombay Labour Union” option2=”Ahmedabad Labour Union” option3=”Madras Labour Union” option4=”Allahabad Labour Union” correct=”option3″]

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UPSC CDS-2 – 2020
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The Madras Labour Union, founded in 1918 by B. P. Wadia, is widely regarded as India’s first properly organized trade union. It had a formal structure, regular membership, and specific objectives related to improving working conditions and wages.
Prior to the Madras Labour Union, there were various sporadic efforts and associations focused on labour welfare, but they lacked the systematic organization and structure characteristic of a modern trade union.
The Madras Labour Union emerged during the economic hardships following World War I and the growing nationalist awareness. B. P. Wadia was a prominent nationalist leader and associate of Annie Besant. The union organized workers in the textile industry in Madras.

9. Who among the following created the first All India Trade Union Congre

Who among the following created the first All India Trade Union Congress in 1920?

[amp_mcq option1=”B. P. Wadia” option2=”S. A. Dange” option3=”N. M. Joshi” option4=”B. T. Ranadive” correct=”option3″]

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UPSC CDS-2 – 2020
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The first All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) was formed in 1920 in Bombay. While various leaders were involved in its formation, N. M. Joshi was one of the key figures and served as the first General Secretary of AITUC.
AITUC was a significant milestone in the organized labour movement in India, bringing together various trade unions under a single national umbrella.
Lala Lajpat Rai was the first President of AITUC. Other prominent leaders associated with its formation included Motilal Nehru, Annie Besant, C. R. Das, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. The formation of AITUC was influenced by the growth of the labour movement during and after World War I and the establishment of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which required member countries to send representatives from labour organizations.

10. What was the Dutt-Bradley thesis?

What was the Dutt-Bradley thesis?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Working Committee of the Indian National Congress decided that Congress should play a crucial role in realising the independence of India” option2=”The Socialist party decided to play foremost part in anti-imperialist struggle” option3=”Revolutionary socialist Batukeshwar Dutt put forth a ten-point plan to work for the success of anti-imperialist front” option4=”It was a Communist party document, according to which the National Congress could play a great part and a foremost part in realising the anti-imperialist people’s front” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2019
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The Dutt-Bradley Thesis, formulated by British communists R. Palme Dutt and Ben Bradley in 1936, was a significant document guiding the policy of the Communist Party of India (CPI). It argued that the Indian National Congress, despite being led by the bourgeoisie, represented a broad national force and could play a major role in the anti-imperialist struggle. The thesis advocated for communists to work within the Congress and form a united anti-imperialist front.
The Dutt-Bradley thesis was a Communist party document that analysed the role of the Indian National Congress in the anti-imperialist movement and advocated for unity with it.
This thesis marked a shift in the CPI’s strategy, moving away from earlier sectarianism towards a united front approach. It significantly influenced communist participation in the national movement in the late 1930s. Batukeshwar Dutt was a revolutionary contemporary of Bhagat Singh, not directly associated with this political thesis.
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