%0 Journal Article
%T Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his thought on socialism in India: A critical evaluation
%A Ishita Aditya Ray
%A Sarbapriya Ray
%J International Journal of Human Sciences
%D 2012
%I International Journal of Human Sciences
%X In establishing an egalitarian society in India which is based on liberty , equality and fraternity and social justice, Ambedkar, the great Indian Constitution maker, struggled to find out avenues and means ¨C intellectual, organizational and in terms of programs throughout his life. This study attempts to throw light on Ambedkar¡¯s quest for socialism in India with special reference to Marxism and Buddhism. He accepted the concept of class struggle but he felt that in the Indian set up, it had to be substantially redefined and ascribed a similar agenda to the Buddha and agreed that one of the major contradictions of capitalism was the social basis of its production in contrast to private appropriation. He criticized Marxism for subscribing to economic determinism, for its inadequate grasp of liberal democracy, for its inability to adequately understand the realm of ideologies and for considering moral values as historically conditioned. Though Ambedkar described his scheme of economic organization of the Indian society as state socialism, in view of its other features, we believe it appropriate to identify it democratic socialism. Moreover, collective farming, one of the major features of his model of democratic socialism, needs to be thoroughly reconsidered as it lacked viability. It is somewhat inconceivable how he could achieve socialism by eliminating socio-economic inequality without undermining the basic economic foundation of society on which the system of inequality was founded. The inability to resolve this contradiction ultimately led Ambedkar to find solace in Buddhism, with an attempt to present its teachings ¡®in a new light to suit modern class realities¡¯. In fact, Ambedkar¡¯s conversion to Buddhism was a ¡®self-deception¡¯ and channeled the whole movement of workers and peasants led by him into ¡®reactionary and metaphysical conceptions¡¯.
%K Ambedkar
%K socialism
%K India
%U http://www.insanbilimleri.com/ojs/index.php/uib/article/view/2055