Theos-Talk Archives (April 2009 Message tt00433)

Dear Anton,

Yes, the reasons for the fall in India's membership between 1918 and 1925 were probably political and had to do with the Amritsar Massacre. 

I just reread some Nethercot, especially the chapter "Amritsar Aftermath." It looks like that because of the massacre AB got even colder feet about radical political activism on behalf of India's Home Rule and was afraid of more bloodshed provoked by Gandhi's tactics of non-cooperation, which she thought mad and dangerous. Meanwhile Gandhi got more radical and they had a further falling out over tactics and specific issues, especially the analysis of the massacre about which AB took more of a law and order perspective, which was not well received of course (apparently some historians believed that she actually had condoned the action of the British military). Gandhi's tactics and goal of complete independence were far more popular and Besant's political standing nose-dived, even to the point that she was booed away at several political meetings where she was formerly highly regarded. She only regained her stature in 1924 by joining the call for complete independence, organizing a National Convention, being feted for 50 years of public life, and reconciliation with Gandhi, who had softened his radicalism. Also in the 1914-1919 period there was a sharp increase of membership after AB entered Indian politics, bought 2 newspapers to influence opinion and attained 'martyrdom' when she was interned in 1917. So, it looks like that the membership numbers between 1914 and 1925 correlate with AB's political standing in Indian politics. If the correlation indicates causality has to be seen. It's nevertheless very interesting. 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Anton Rozman 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 5:53 PM
  Subject: Theos-World Re: Request: Membership Numbers TS (Adyar)





  Dear Govert,

  >India peaked at 9,365 in 1919 (which number they reached again in 1975), had a temporary low at 4,980 in 1925 and temporary high again at 6,905 in 1928. What happened between 1918 and 1925 in India?<

  I can only speculate, but looking at the history pages these were critical years for the Indian independence movement, as these endeavors "was seriously undermined in 1919 by the Rowlatt Act, . also known as the Black Act, which vested the Viceroy's government with extraordinary powers to quell sedition by silencing the press, detaining the political activists without trial, and arresting any individuals suspected of sedition or treason without a warrant. In protest, a nationwide cessation of work was called, marking the beginning of widespread, although not nationwide, popular discontent. The agitation unleashed by the acts culminated on 13 April 1919, in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (also known as the Amritsar Massacre) in Amritsar, Punjab. The British military commander, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer, blocked the main entrance, and ordered his soldiers to fire into an unarmed and unsuspecting crowd of some 5,000 men, women and children." (Wikipedia) So, the reasons could be political.

  Best regards,
  Anton

  --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Govert Schuller" <schuller@...> wrote:
  >
  > Dear Anton,
  > 
  > Fabulous. Great work. Very helpful. Few observations:
  > 
  > 1) Indian membership between 1918 and 1928 declined dramatically as total membership increased. (Total membership, Australia, England and USA all peaked around 1929, the year of the dissolution of the OSE and just before the depression) 
  > 
  > India peaked at 9,365 in 1919 (which number they reached again in 1975), had a temporary low at 4,980 in 1925 and temporary high again at 6,905 in 1928. 
  > 
  > What happened between 1918 and 1925 in India? 
  > 
  > 2) Your conclusion:
  > 
  > "Therefore, along with an overall high abstention of voters these data, in my opinion, additionally shows that there is present in TS membership certain disagreement with the policy of actual TS leadership and the choices available at the Elections 2008" 
  > 
  > is possibly true, but not necessarily so as there are other possible explanations like members not being sufficiently informed about what was at stake, or, if informed, just being indifferent. I'm sure there were abstentions motivated by protest, but it's open how big a percentage that was. 
  > 
  > Govert
  > .
  > ----- Original Message ----- 
  > From: Anton Rozman 
  > To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 1:52 AM
  > Subject: Theos-World Re: Request: Membership Numbers TS (Adyar)
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > Hi Govert,
  > 
  > Here are Membership statistics for the period 1879-1983 summarized from Dr. Tillett's Ph.D. Thesis:
  > 
  > http://www.teozofija.info/tsmembers/Membership_Statistics.htm
  > 
  > and Membership statistics for 2007/08:
  > 
  > http://www.teozofija.info/tsmembers/Membership_Statistics2007-08.htm
  > 
  > Till now I didn't succeed to gather data for the period 1983-2007. 
  > 
  > Best regards,
  > Anton
  > 
  > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Govert Schuller" <schuller@> wrote:
  > >
  > > Dear all,
  > > 
  > > Does anybody here have the membership numbers throughout the years of TS (Adyar)?
  > > 
  > > They have been published on a yearly basis, but has anybody collected them in one doc.?
  > > 
  > > Thanks in advance
  > > 
  > > Govert
  > > 
  > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  > >
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  >



  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]