Demands of the Moderates

The moderates could be the first time a revolutionary force was dissenting against the colonial government through peace, policy and negotiation.

• The channel the moderates chose to sit on the same table as the British was through penetrating the higher offices in the colonial governmental system. 
• This explains why the Indian National Congress was standing for “No Taxation without representation” after 1892, first step towards demanding control over the finances and legislation.
• The economic criticism that was raised against the British were based on three areas: Trade, Banking, and Industry.
• The early nationalists believed that the political repercussions of foreign capital investment were no less detrimental because a country’s political enslavement was an inevitable result of foreign capital infiltration. Foreign rule was maintained because foreign capital investment gave rise to vested interests that sought security. 

Therefore they opposed extensive capital imports in the railways, plantations, and industries and only permitted them where there was a dearth of Indian funding. Through tariff protection and direct government assistance, the moderates of India wanted the modern capitalist industries in India to develop in a manner similar to those in Britain.

The economic ideology adopted by the Moderates can be described as one that adopts the salient features of liberal and conservative preferences for the economy. The moderates in India believed that British rule in India would be beneficial for the upliftment of the society and the economy, early in the 19th century, Indian intellectuals supported British rule and believed it would modernize their country. They were referred to as moderates since they used legal and peaceful means to fulfill their aims.

They only targeted the political class with their efforts. Later, when growth in new sectors was slow but overall, the nation was underdeveloped and regressing, they grew disenchanted with the rule. This shift in perception prompted researchers to delve deeper into the realities of British rule and its effects on individuals.