Gandhi’s defense of varnashrama triggered Ambedkar’s expanded chaturvarnya critique

Evidence

In AoC 1936, after “serve”, it reads “—all this sounds very simple and appears to be perfect. But what does it all come to in practice? It means the pauperisation of the many for the sake of the few. It means the disarming of the many for the sake of the few. It means the deadening and darkening of the lives of the many in order that the few may have life and light. As has been observed, there is no country in the world which has suffered so much as a result of social evils of its own creation as India.” Ambedkar drops this passage in AoC 1937, and in its place offers an extended reflection—of 650 words—on the exploitative and illogical nature of the chaturvarnya system. This appears to be triggered by Gandhi’s response to this speech-essay in Harijan, where he upholds the fourfold varnashrama dharma but denounces the proliferation of castes. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 1122

Categorization

• XREF: Connects chaturvarnya as a real implemented hierarchy to broader caste-annihilation reading purpose — the 1936 vs 1937 revisions show Ambedkar sharpening his abolitionist argument against Gandhi’s reformist defense. — connects to: Gandhi’s defense of varnashrama dharma prompted Ambedkar’s 1937 expansion.; Gandhi and Ambedkar’s ideological divergence was narrower than commonly believed — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 419
• QUESTION: What exactly did Gandhi write in Harijan that triggered this? Worth chasing the specific exchange.
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: Gandhi’s defense of varnashrama dharma prompted Ambedkar’s 1937 expansion.; Gandhi and Ambedkar’s ideological divergence was narrower than commonly believed — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 419

Broader Connections

• Gandhi’s defense of varnashrama dharma prompted Ambedkar’s 1937 expansion. #corroborates (0.98)
• Gandhi and Ambedkar’s ideological divergence was narrower than commonly believed #complicates (0.80) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 419