Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

The nationalists followed a policy of non-violence to make their ______ successful.

struggle

The most appropriate option to fill in the blank is struggle.

The sentence is about the nationalists' use of non-violence to achieve their goals. The word "struggle" refers to a sustained effort to achieve something difficult. It is the most appropriate word to use in this context because it describes the challenges that the nationalists faced in their struggle for independence.

The other options are not as appropriate.

• Politics refers to the activities associated with the government. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence because the nationalists were not trying to achieve their goals through government.
• Speeches refers to formal talks or presentations. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence because the nationalists were not trying to achieve their goals through speeches.
• Encounter refers to a meeting or clash between two or more people or groups. This does not make sense in the context of the sentence because the nationalists were not trying to achieve their goals through violence.