Though Kerala has led the country in matters of literacy, education, enlightenment and modernization, it did not play a crucial or decisive role in the national freedom movement. A reason for this was the fact that the people in this princely state had to wage a parallel struggle against the princely autocracy. Another reason was that the socio-economic setup of Kerala improved during British colonial times. During the British impact, Kerala entered the path of modernization quite early, overlooking the barriers of caste, custom and tradition.

The expansion of British power in Kerala was not a smooth affair. Until the consolidation of British power in the 19th century, there were occasions of violent resistance from the people. Among the early revolts against British authority, the one that showed its uniqueness was the Kurichiya revolt of 1812. This was truly a mass uprising due to economic grievances and official high-handedness. It was perhaps one of the earliest peasant movements in the history of Indian resistance to British power.

After the Kurichiya revolt, Kerala was in a state of political quiescence for nearly a century. A sense of helplessness against the British and an awareness that British rule was here to stay had become the dominant note in the mind of the people. The agrarian grievances of the Mappilas, their general economic backwardness and the low level of education resulted in the most violent disturbances of the time, the Mappila riots in Malabar. Though sporadic, these outbursts posed a serious law and order problem and considerably strained the Hindu - Muslim relationship in Malabar.

The nature and intensity of the struggle were different in the 3 territorial divisions of Kerala. The political struggle for freedom was slower in the princely states of Cochin and Travancore compared to Malabar where the tempo of political struggle was faster than the socio-economic reform movements.

As nationalism was emerging in India, these developments were noted in Kerala and a few Keralites - G. P. Pillai, Sri Shankaran Nair and Rayru Nambiar - actively participated in the activities of the Congress. Political activity in Kerala received a new tempo with the outbreak of the First World War and the spread of Home Rule ideas where young Congressmen like K. P. Keshava Menon were enthusiastically encouraged by the people. Thus, by 1919, there was considerable political enthusiasm in Kerala. The Manjeri Conference of 1920 which was attended by 1300 delegates from different parts of Malabar, was a landmark in the history of the political struggle.

The Gandhian Non Co-operation Movement had a tremendous impact on Kerala. The political conference held at Ottapalam was the first milestone in the move for a united Kerala. The people of Kerala dedicated their lives and efforts to the implementation of the various Gandhian programs. The movements became widespread following Gandhiji's visit to Malabar in August 1921. It was during this time that Kerala witnessed the most tragic episode in her freedom struggle, namely the Mappila Rebellion of 1921. The incident practically destroyed the relationship between Hindus and Muslims in the area. There was widespread rioting, destruction and bloodshed.

Following the Malabar rebellion, the political struggle for freedom was on a low note. But the spirit of the people was kept up through the organizational activities of Congressmen and political journalists. A conference of the congress committee that was held at Payanoor in May 1928 was highly significant as it adopted a resolution requesting the Congress to declare complete independence as its goal.

By the 1930s, Kerala was fully drawn into the struggle for independence as well as the struggle for responsible government in the princely states. An important feature of the new movement was the increased involvement of the peasants and workers that encouraged the growth of a strong political left wing.

In Malabar, the last phase opened with the emergence of a powerful left wing that captured the leadership of the Kerala Provincial Congress Committee (KPCC). They adopted a policy different from that of the Indian National Congress, which led to violent clashes in several places. Parallel to these developments, Kochi and Travancore too witnessed struggles for responsible government. Thus, in June 1938, a dyarchical form of government was established, where popular ministers controlled some departments. As this system did not work well, the public began to agitate for a fully responsible government.

The Quit India Movement that began in 1942, generated considerable amount of enthusiasm among the students. But this did not lead to violent repercussions in Kerala because most of the Congress leaders were behind bars and the Communist Party opposed this movement. The Malabar bomb case was probably the only episode of violence. The end of the Quit India movement saw Malabar returning to an election and constitutional government.

Travancore however, did not have a peaceful transition to freedom and democracy. The Communist Party had been building up its strength among the farmers and labourers and the spiraling prices, unemployment and famine provided a favorable climate for expansion of its activities. One of the most violent upheavals that Travancore faced was the Punnapra - Vayalar revolt which was a reaction to the proposed constitutional scheme. This revolt resulted in a change in the attitude of the people who regarded that rule under the diwanship of C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer would result in more evils. Things reached a political crisis again when the British announced their intention to leave India. The Diwan announced that Travancore would remain an independent state on the lapse of British rule, triggering a fierce controversy both inside and outside the state and the Diwan was forced to make his exit from the state.

With the attainment of independence under a responsible government, the movement for a unified Kerala attained a fresh momentum. A standing council was formed to take the necessary action. Conventions were held in 1949 to press for the formation of Kerala state. On Nov 1st, 1956, the new state of Kerala was formally inaugurated and thus, Kerala regained its identity as a state in India.