Critically analyse why the system of indentured labour migration was eventually abolished in 1921. In your answer, explain both the nature of the opposition to it and the conditions that made that opposition effective.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 14:59 · grounding rag
Model Answer
The system of indentured labour migration was abolished in 1921 due to sustained opposition from Indian nationalist leaders combined with growing awareness of the system's brutalities.
Nature of the Opposition:
- From the 1900s, Indian nationalist leaders condemned indentured labour as abusive and cruel.
- Workers were lured through false information about destinations, working conditions, and travel. Agents sometimes forcibly abducted migrants.
- Living and working conditions on plantations were extremely harsh with few legal rights, earning the system the description of a "new system of slavery."
Conditions That Made Opposition Effective:
- The rise of the Indian nationalist movement gave leaders a powerful political platform to demand abolition.
- Growing public awareness of the exploitation—deception during recruitment, harsh plantation life, and loss of dignity—built broad moral pressure.
- The nationalist movement's increasing strength made the colonial government unwilling to defend the system politically.
Thus, the combination of organized nationalist opposition and the morally indefensible nature of the system made abolition inevitable by 1921.
Source: Indentured Labour Migration from India, Chapter 3, Section 2.4
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Explanation
- The question asks for two things: (1) nature of opposition and (2) conditions that made it effective — address both clearly.
- Key phrase examiners look for: "new system of slavery" — use it.
- Ground your answer in the passage: false information by agents, harsh conditions, nationalist leaders opposing from 1900s, abolition in 1921.
- Avoid padding — keep points crisp and factual. Do not invent details not in the passage.