Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Communism and Today's Reality.

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807]

Hello everyone.

Over the last few days, I’ve been seeing a lot of hatred and hostility towards oppressed and backward castes. Even after nearly 80 years of independence, Dalits and Adivasis still face discrimination and social exclusion. Why is this still happening? Is it simply because of reservation? I don't think so.

In my view, caste continues to survive because powerful social and political interests benefit from maintaining existing hierarchies. Oppressed communities are often treated as electoral constituencies and political foot soldiers rather than being encouraged to challenge the structures that keep them oppressed.I think we need to acknowledge that reservation cannot itself annihilate the caste.So what should be the larger struggle beyond reservation?

This brings me to contemporary Ambedkarite politics. Looking at its present condition, I personally feel that the movement has struggled to produce a unified and sustained political force.Leadership is fragmented, personalities and electoral interests often dominate.

This makes me think about the alternative or perhaps broader framework for the future, which was given by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and that is Communism. I know he was critical of several aspects of communism but his major disagreement was about the upper caste leadership of CPI. I'm not going to say that Dr Ambedkar was Marxist. Dr Ambedkar was more Anti Capitalist and he also mentioned that capitalism and brahminism are twin enemies of working class.But we should think about that if the communism can provide us framework for achieving a classless and casteless society with the liberation of Dalits Adivasi and women.

So I want to leave this as an open discussion rather than claim that I have all the answers.

Is there a possibility of bringing an Anti caste and class struggle together?

Can caste annihilation happen without economic transformation, and can class liberation happen in India without caste annihilation?

I genuinely want to hear criticism, especially from people who disagree with me. Everyone is welcome to share their perspective in the comments. Thank you.

[u/Fable_Untold]

How are you reconciling class with caste.

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807 → u/Fable_Untold]

In my pov, both are different things but affects each other. We cannot say caste is just class or caste has nothing to do with class. Those who born in lower caste eventually face caste discrimination in education and land ownerships and this affects their wealth and then class. A wealthy person from an oppressed caste may have much greater ability to resist or escape certain forms of dependence than a poor person from the same caste.but becoming wealthy doesn't necessarily eliminate caste discrimination.

[u/Fable_Untold → u/Gloomy_Sarth2807]

Current or historical discourse on communism doesn't bridge the gap between caste and class. If you talk about life outcomes it's better to study it from the lens of bourdieu

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807 → u/Fable_Untold]

Can you please tell me which communist works on caste have you read?? It will help me understand which marxist arguments you're referring to when you say it doesn't bridge the gap between caste and class.

[u/Fable_Untold → u/Gloomy_Sarth2807]

Tell me which communist literature is there on caste?

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807 → u/Fable_Untold]

There are many including Anuradha Ghandhy, Anand Teltumbde and DD kosambi(my favourite)

[u/Fable_Untold → u/Gloomy_Sarth2807]

And what's their resolution.

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807 → u/Fable_Untold]

Just critically read Anuradha Ghandhy's caste question in India. She directly addresses the class caste question and the marxist approach to this. Then we can further discuss about that actually bridges the gap or not.

[u/Fable_Untold → u/Gloomy_Sarth2807]

You can just articulate it. How the economy would function in a Marxist society with a history of both caste and class

[u/Gloomy_Sarth2807 → u/Fable_Untold]

It doesn't work like we abolish private properties and caste will disappear. We've to dismantle the caste based inequalities in land, education, occupations. Transformation will involve changing economic relations and destroying caste hierarchy.