Muslim League and Mass Mobilisation: The Transformation of Emotions into Political Actions and the Making of Pakistan

Abstract

This article analyses the way the All-India Muslim League capitalised on Muslims' popular emotions to muster mass support for the cause of Pakistan between 1940 and 1947. It maintains that the Muslim League was remarkably successful in linking Muslims' emotions and future aspirations with the demand for Pakistan, which helped the League transform shared emotions into organised political actions. By applying William M. Reddy's theoretical framework of 'emotives' and Barbara H. Rosenwein's idea of 'emotional communities', the article contends that human emotions such as fear, insecurity, humiliation, marginalisation, a sense of exclusion, anxiety, and hope were central and indispensable for the Muslim League to expand the horizon of its public support. The article employs a qualitative historical approach to examine notables' speeches, newspapers, pamphlets, and official records to underscore the interplay between emotions and political strategy. By putting Muslims' emotional outlook at the center of political mass mobilisation, this study presents a fresh perspective on the Pakistan Movement and a promising contribution to the growing scholarship on the history of emotions.