B R Ambedkar Books: Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, is known for contributing to the Constitution of India. However, there are other things on his resume. Ambedkar was a prolific writer who penned numerous books on India’s social issues, economics and politics. His most famous books are on the issue of Untouchability and the social stigmatisation and exclusion of a large chunk of Indians. He was a fearless person who used to express his opinions without caring about the backlash from a certain privileged section of society.
If you are preparing for UPSC, PCS or any other government exam, you must know about all books written by B R Ambedkar. Civil Services Exams frequently ask about the names of Dr B R Ambedkar Books as well as their year of publication. Hence, in this article, we have provided you with the books written by B R Ambedkar along with their year of publication.
Dr B R Ambedkar Books Complete List
The following is the complete list of B R Ambedkar Books:
5 Must-Read B R Ambedkar Books
As mentioned above, Ambedkar has authored a number of books. Most of his books are based on social issues. If you are aware of the injustices done to the untouchables and want to delve deep into the horrible social practices, these books are a must-read for you.
1) The Annihilation of Caste
One of the most popular of BR Ambedkar Books, The Annihilation of Caste is a compilation of an unaddressed 1936 speech by Babasaheb Ambedkar that was planned to be delivered to the Jat Pat Tadak Mandal in Lahore (then in British India). This speech became a controversial one which then led to the event being cancelled and the speech being undelivered. The speech was, in fact, sent in advance to the organisers to be printed and distributed amongst all the attendees. The Organisers found a section of the speech ‘unbearable’ and asked the speaker to omit that section. In response, Babasaheb wrote that “not a comma” in the speech would be changed.
2) What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables
The second book in our list of B R Ambedkar Books is What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables. The book details the impact of the provincial elections conducted in 1937 as well as the Poona Pact that prevented the Scheduled Castes from having their own electorates. Ambedkar offers insights into the elections, emphasizing the lack of political acumen and muscle power on the side of Scheduled Caste candidates of his Indian Labour Party. He further challenges the narrative that the Congress Party, which was dominated by the bourgeoisie, represents all Indians, including the Scheduled Castes.
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3) Who were the Shudras
Who were the Shudras is one of the most important of B R Ambedkar Books. Ambedkar was a staunch critic of the caste system. This book examines the origin of the Shudra varna in the Indian Caste System. In this book, he debunks the Aryan Invasion Theory and establishes that all the people belonging to the four varnas were and are Aryans. As per Ambedkar, the real cause which led to the downfall of the Shudras was that they were not allowed to own land. Due to their lack of skills, they were reduced to labourers and were made to do menial jobs. He further highlights the Vedic origin of the Shudras, which, as per him, was attributed to uneducated people or those belonging to the lower class. The book is a must-read if you want to understand the Vedic origins of the caste system.
4) Buddha Or Karl Marx
The fourth book in our list of must-read B R Ambedkar Books is Buddha Or Karl Marx. It was yet another speech that was converted into an essay. In the essay, he provides the reader with a clear overview of both the Buddha’s and Karl Marx’s complete teachings. He sheds some light on the Buddha’s teachings of Ahimsa and shows how the Buddha’s teachings provide guidance for every sphere of one’s life, attempting to formulate a society where everyone is equal in spirit and not just in name. He then discusses about the various tenets of Marxism such as the dictatorship of the proletariat and the inevitability of a revolution. He conceded that in a society like India, where the caste of a person is the ultimate deciding factor, Buddha and his teachings are far more relevant than Marx’s.
5) The Problem of the Rupee: its Origin and its Solution
The fifth entry in our list of must-read Ambedkar books is The Problem of the Rupee: its origin and its solution. The book was his doctoral thesis of Ambedkar which he submitted at the London School of Economics in 1923. The term “celebration” refers to the act of bringing together a group of people to celebrate a special occasion. He claims that in India, trade was undertaken through the exchange of money and the products themselves. As a result, our merchant class is generally crowned as a monetary society that runs solely on money.
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