Question

Discuss:
What did Dr Ambedkar mean when he said that “In politics we will have equality, and in social and economic life we will have inequality”?

Answer 1

In his final speech to the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Ambedkar pointed out that political democracy had to be accompanied by economic and social democracy. Giving the right to vote would not automatically lead to the removal of other inequalities such as between rich and poor, or between upper and lower castes. With the new Constitution/ he said, India was going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics (i.e. every citizen will have right to vote or contest to election or to form or join a political party) we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality. In politics we will be recognizing the principle of one man one vote one value. But in our social and economic life, we shall, by reason of our social and economic structure continue to deny the principle of one man one value.