Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste': A Radical Critique of India's Caste System

• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste' is his seminal work on the caste system, originally a speech he was prevented from delivering.
• Published in 1936, the book critically examines the origins, psychology, and societal impact of caste, highlighting its hierarchical divisions.
• The speech, intended for the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal in Lahore, was canceled due to Ambedkar's refusal to edit his sharp criticisms of Hindu scriptures.
• The book sparked a significant debate, with Mahatma Gandhi acknowledging Ambedkar's anger but disagreeing with his 'destructive' methods.
• Ambedkar argued that India's caste system is unique, a religious-moral stratification determining purity at birth, unlike economic class systems elsewhere.

Why It Matters: Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste' remains a foundational text for the Dalit movement, offering an uncompromising critique of caste.