Ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century

The Moderate leaders gave national movement its start and clearly stated the colonisation's aims and policies. Their economic and constitutional understanding remained the guiding principle of the national movement. However, their reach among people was always limited due to following reasons :-

• The political jargons used by the moderates were alien to uneducated masses. There was also lack of political faith in the masses. Thus people largely remained aloof. 

• It was gradually realised that the British didn’t concede to any of the major demands of the moderates. 

• Indian Council Act 1892 was criticised. Moves such as further amplification of repressive laws under IPC and reduction in number of members in Calcutta Corporation didn’t go down well with progressive elements in INC. 

• Political ideologies of the moderates were blamed to be inefficient. Methods followed by moderates were described as political mendicancy. 

The result was emergence of a more militant school of thought. They never wanted to enrage the government. In 1905 movement, they opposed its spread outside Bengal. However, the role of moderates can also not be negated. They were the first to create national awakening among Indians and prepared a solid ground for mass oriented national movement at later stages that followed.