Annihilation of caste

Book • 1937
Written in 1936, 'Annihilation of Caste' is an undelivered speech that critiques the Hindu caste system and its religious underpinnings.

Ambedkar argues that the caste system is a divisive force that impedes social cohesion, destroys public spirit, and undermines ethics and morality.

He rejects traditional defenses of caste based on division of labor, purity of blood, and historical legitimacy, instead advocating for the destruction of the religious notions that support the caste system.

The essay was self-published by Ambedkar after it was deemed too controversial by the conference organizers who had initially invited him to deliver it.

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Mentioned as a primary source text about history in this time, but also as a secondary source text.
Audrey Truschke, "India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent" (Princeton UP, 2025)
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Leena Reghunath
, urging listeners to read it to understand Ambedkar's views against Hinduism.
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Mentioned by
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Sylvia Karpagam
as a book that has had a broad impact on social narratives.
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Mentioned as author of the Annihilation of Caste, read by
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