Annihilation of Caste Paperback

"Annihilation of Caste" is an undelivered speech written in 1936 by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and a towering figure in India's social reform movement. Originally intended as a presidential address for the annual conference of the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal (Society for the Abolition of Caste) in Lahore, the speech was ultimately deemed too radical by the organizers and never delivered. Ambedkar subsequently published it himself. The work is a scathing and profound critique of the Hindu caste system, meticulously dissecting its origins, its detrimental impact on Indian society, and its religious justifications embedded in Hindu scriptures. Ambedkar argues that the caste system is not merely a division of labor but a division of laborers into watertight compartments, which destroys public spirit, morality, and the possibility of a truly democratic and equitable society. He advocates for the complete annihilation of the caste system, asserting that true social reform must precede political and economic reform, and famously proposes inter-caste marriages and the destruction of the religious notions that sanction caste as essential steps towards achieving a casteless society based on liberty, equality, and fraternity. It remains a seminal and highly influential text in the discourse on caste and social justice in India.