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Annihilation of Caste - 2

  Critique on Socialism as a Solution Baba Saheb was very suspicious of the vogue of the time that had taken half of the world by a storm. He understood that the socialist framework was not addressing the real question. Every socialist worth his salt would try to convince him that man in the end is an economic creature and that economics alone is the motive that would drive him and that property is the main source of power & inequality. So the equalization of property is the only panacea and that must precede any other types of reform in India. But Baba Saheb was not convinced. In fact he brought the most pertinent question ahead of the socialists. How are the socialists guaranteeing social equality once even hypothetically the economic problem is resolved. If the social problem is unaddressed, then will it not lead to same status of the depressed class as was the case earlier. In this case who will gain from a revolution? Will it be the people who have been discriminated again...
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Annihilation of Caste - 1

If one were to choose what would be the most suitable book to start understanding Dr Ambedkar’s life and works, it would certainly be “Annihilation of Caste”. There is a reason for this. Of course, Dr Ambedkar’s work is all encompassing. He has written about such diverse topics as economy, money, caste, religion, swaraj, politics that one becomes over awed by his scholarship. But Annihilation of Caste is the most direct book. The title itself evokes passion. Dr Ambedkar does not mince any word when he is analyzing the current situation of nation and Hindu society. Let us go through the points in details and try to get a handle on his thinking. He is most certainly not thinking only about the treatment of depressed classes over the centuries. He has a vision in his mind. The vision is that of a strong nation. What kind of nation is a strong nation? The kind where the feeling of collective whole is greater than that any narrow sectarian group. Then is the Hindu society geared up for this...
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Introduction

There is a famous Upanishad story where Nachiketa goes to all extremes to find out the truth. In his pursuit he is not deterred by any impediment. As an enquirer he stands face to face with Yama, the God of death and shoots his questions. Yama is ultimately forced reveal all spiritual secrets of universe as the young Nachiketa won't relent. This incident quoted from the 'Shruti" of Vedic tradition is the most appropriate to create a ground for dispassionate inquiry about self, our country, our civilization. There are no roads that should be left untraveled or no proverbial stone that should be left unturned. The history of Indian civilization is of grand twists and turns. An eternal flowing river from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. Whatever be the compulsions of contemporary existence, the spirit of Nachiketa is akin to a Himalayan glacier which is perennial source of what we call the flow of our civilization. The unhindered uninhibited inquiry is what keeps the water af...
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