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History Optional PYQ Master Pack · Model answer

Do you believe that the uprising in 1857 was nationalist in nature? If not, what was its character?

  • UPSC 1999
  • Indian Response to British Rule

Whether the uprising of 1857 deserves the label "nationalist" turns on what content is given to the word nationalism — and by that modern standard, the rising falls well short.

You are reading the opening of the model answer. The full answer is part of the History Optional PYQ Master Pack.

What the full answer covers

  • The Case for a Nationalist Reading
  • The Case Against — Majumdar, Sen, and the "Geographical Expression" Argument
  • If Not Nationalist — Then What? The Feudal-Elitist Character
  • Testing the Claim Against the Revolt's Actual Spread
  • The Balanced Verdict

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