The emergence of the Indian national congress and Anglo-Indian community in the 1880s

At present, the relationships between the Anglo-Indian community and the national movement remains poorly studied. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the relationships of the early Indian National Congress with the Anglo-Indian community, the role of Anglo-Indians in the formation of the organization, and its reaction to the development of the national movement in India. The Indian National Congress, which headed India’s struggle for independence in the XX century, in its early years advocated the preservation of British rule. Under conditions of colonial dependence from Britain, relations with Anglo-Indians - British citizens who permanently resided in India - were especially important for the Congress. Under Lord Ripon, the Viceroy of India in the 1880s, the national movement gained momentum and became a new factor in the socio-political life of India, to which the Anglo-Indian community reacted differently. A small liberal part of the community, which shared the views of Indian intellectuals, took an active part in the creation and development of the Congress, but the majority perceived its activities negatively. Based on the historical-genetic method and historical analysis of sources, the author concludes that criticism of the Congress by Anglo-Indians was expressed in journalism, public discussions and support for the opponents of the national movement. The obtained results can be used for studying the political development of colonial societies, the relations between metropolitan states and dependent territories, and the socio-political thought in Asia in the early XX century.