Gandhi’s purity standards restricted rather than enabled mass political participation

Evidence

There are certain matters on which strikes would be wrong. Sweepers’ grievances come in this category. My opinion against sweepers’ strikes dates back to about 1897 when I was in Durban. A general strike was mooted there, and the question arose as to whether scavengers should join it. My vote was registered against the proposal. Just as a man cannot live without air, so too he cannot exist for long if his home and surroundings are not clean. One or the other epidemic is bound to break out, especially when modern drainage is put out of action … A Bhangi [scavengers] may not give up his work even for a day. And there are many other ways open to him for securing justice. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 348 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Gandhi’s moral authority silenced Hindu dissent rather than inviting debate; Gandhi’s fast unto death coerced the reversal of Untouchable political gains; Gandhi’s Ahmedabad labour union institutionalised caste divisions in its very structure (+2 more)

Related

• Gandhi forbade scavenger strikes because sanitation must never lapse (similarity 0.89)
• Gandhi opposed scavenger strikes on public-health grounds because sanitation is indispensable (similarity 0.83)
• Gandhi consistently insulted Untouchables and denied them political self-organization (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Gandhi forbade scavenger strikes because sanitation must never lapse #exemplifies (0.60) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 348
• Gandhi’s Ahmedabad labour union institutionalised caste divisions in its very structure #exemplifies (0.55)
• Gandhi’s fast unto death coerced the reversal of Untouchable political gains #exemplifies (0.50)
• Hindus treated Gandhi as an infallible oracle whose word ended debate #corroborates (0.50)
• Gandhi’s moral authority silenced Hindu dissent rather than inviting debate #expands (0.45)