Swadeshi at that time was the symbol of 'extremist' politics, which had been developling as a socio-economic movement over the past quarter of a country. From 1880, voices of proptest were being raised in Eastern as well as Western against the crisis of Partition of Bengal and Indian Industries. Even at that time, Swadeshi had become a slogan symbolising patriotism. This is evident from the fact the new textile mill established by Jamshedji Tata in 1885 was named the "Swadeshi Mill". Mass organisations like the Sarvajanik sabha of Poona adopted Swadeshi as the sole means to liberate India.
The main programme of the movement was "boycott of foreign goods" along with other forms of agitation.the agitational significamce was given by Rabindranath Tagore, Bipin Chandra pal, Balgangadhar Tilak, lala Rajpath Rai, popularly known as Lal-Bal-Paltriumvirate. It was they who placed before the people a programme of action comprising Swadeshi , boycott of british goods, and a national education policy, and strove to get this programme adopted by the Congress.
It was again they who openly stated that the aim of the freedom fighters was not administrative reforms, as demanded by the Congress earlier, but the administrative system in which Indians have as much share as the Englishmen have in England. Interestingly thesse slogans also adopted by the moderates also.
