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'The Commonweal', a weekly newspaper that took up the cause of Home Rule and national reform, was founded in 1914 by:
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Answer: Option C — Annie Besant
Detailed Solution
"The Commonweal", a weekly newspaper, was founded by Annie Besant in January 1914, in Madras.
About The Commonweal:
- It was meant to discuss issues of national reform, such as religious liberty, national education, social reform and political reform.
- Besant used it to spread her ideas about self-government for India within the British Empire.
- Later in 1914, she also bought the "Madras Standard" and renamed it as a daily newspaper.
- Through these papers, she campaigned for Home Rule for India.
- The British government considered her writings seditious; she was ordered to pay securities, and in 1917 she was interned (detained) at Ootacamund (Ooty).
- Her internment caused nationwide protests, and she was released after three months.
About Annie Besant:
- She was born on 1 October 1847 in London.
- She was a social reformer, freethinker, socialist and women's rights activist in Britain.
- She joined the Theosophical Society in 1889 and came to India in 1893.
- She became the President of the Theosophical Society in 1907.
- She worked for Indian education and culture.
- She launched the Home Rule movement in India.
- She was elected President of the Indian National Congress at its Calcutta session in 1917, the first woman to hold this post.
- She died in Madras in 1933.
NCERT on Annie Besant:
NCERT notes that the Home Rule movement led by Tilak and Annie Besant spread the demand for self-government during the First World War.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bipin Chandra Pal, Tilak and Sarojini Naidu were associated with other newspapers.
Quick tip
Remember: "The Commonweal" (weekly, 1914) = Annie Besant; she also ran a daily in Madras; interned at Ooty (1917); first woman Congress President (Calcutta, 1917).
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Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the growth of Indian nationalism from the early 1900s to the First World War: the partition of Bengal in 1905, the Swadeshi and Boycott movement, the rise of extremist leaders such as Lal, Bal and Pal, the Surat split of 1907, and the Home Rule Leagues of Tilak and Annie Besant. Typical questions cover the year the partition of Bengal was announced and annulled (1905 and 1911), the slogans and leaders of the Swadeshi movement, and the founders of the two Home Rule Leagues (1916). Be clear about the difference between the moderates, who used petitions, and the extremists, who called for swaraj and mass action. Practise the Swadeshi movement and early nationalism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.