B. R. Ambedkar on Caste, Democracy, and State Action

Abstract

Recent years have seen a notable surge in scholarship on the life and thought of B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956). This essay contributes to this literature by uncovering heretofore underemphasized aspects of how Ambedkar theorized the relationships between caste oppression, democracy, and state action. The essay demonstrates that, particularly in the period from 1936 to 1947, Ambedkar closely attended to the pathological imbrications between caste society and representative institutions in India; that he theorized an alternative, ambitious conception of democracy that encompassed the social and political spheres; and that he framed the state, and Dalit presence within the state, as a uniquely appealing instrument to transition from the former arrangement to the latter. In addition to filling gaps in the scholarship on Ambedkar, this interpretation offers important resources for contemporary democratic theory—in particular by countering perspectives that remain overly skeptical of the state’s capacity to move against social oppression in ways that enable, rather than inhibit, collective self-government.

The Great Spirit of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

“…However, in traditional Hinduism, which was dominant in India at the time, women often faced discrimination and limited access to religious and spiritual opportunities. Ambedkar's call for measuring progress by the status of women challenges the prevailing religious norms and asserts the importance of gender equality within the realm of spirituality (Ramesh, 2022). Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism was partly driven by his belief that it offered a more egalitarian and just spiritual path.…”