The assertive nationalists lost faith in the ultimate success and the dilatory activities of the early Nationalists. In this context describe:

(a) Basic beliefs and objectives of the Assertive Nationalists.

(b) Methods they employed for the achievement of their objectives.

(a) The basic beliefs and objectives of the Assertive Nationalists were as follows-

1. They had no faith in the British sense of justice and fair play. They highlighted the deceit and treachery by means of which the British had conquered India.
2. The phase of the three P's—'Pray', 'Please' and 'Petition'—Was now over. Lala Lajpat Rai wrote- "an Englishman hates or dislikes nothing like beggary. It is our duty to tell Englishmen that we are no longer beggars."
3. Their sturdy spirit provoked self-reliance and self-determination. Tilak said, "Political rights will have to be fought for. The Moderates think that these can be won by persuasion. We think that they can only be got by strong pressure."

The Ultimate Objective

1. As regards the ultimate objective, the assertive nationalists would not be satisfied with anything lower than Swaraj, i.e., Self-government.
2. The leaders having moderate policies asked for 'Dominion Status' i.e., Self-government under the British Crown. Their objective was to improve the existing system, but the assertive nationalists thought that no piecemeal reform would do.

(b) The Assertive Nationalists employed the following methods for the achievement of their objectives-

1. Revivalism — They sought to build national movement on the basis of people's religious beliefs. Tilak revived the Shivaji Festival in 1895. They presented Chandragupta Vikramaditya, Rana Pratap and Shivaji as national heroes, whose memory should be cherished.
2. Swadeshi — The Swadeshi idea was popularised by occasional bonfires of foreign cloth, salt and sugar. The blazing flames were greeted by shouts of Bande Mataram.
3. Boycott — Swadeshi and boycott go together. In fact, Boycott meant far more than a mere boycott of British goods. It also included the boycott of government services, honours and titles. Besides, a man selling or buying foreign goods would be subjected to "social boycott".
4. National Education — During the Swadeshi Movement many new educational institutions were started. The contents of National Education were as follows:
   
   1. Secular Education
   2. Religious or Moral Education
   3. Political Education
   4. Vocational or Industrial Education
5. Religious education was aimed at building up a pupil's character, whereas political education meant carrying out one's civic and political responsibilities.