Babasaheb Ambedkar wrote this book perhaps to educate the Western world in regard to the plight of the helpless and friendless Untouchables. Untouchability is the worst kind of slavery ever devised by man; he argues in this book SLAVERY & UNTOUCHABILITIES: WHICH IS WORSE? 1989, C-7/G DDA Flats, New Delhi 110067, Rs. 30). Providence it seems has inexorably doomed the continent of Africa to be only a nursery of slaves for the free and civilized peoples of Asta and Europe. The Negroes not only survived but prospered so much that it came to be a common opinion “that unless a Negro should happen to be hanged, he would never die; for as yet, none had been known to perish from infirmity”. The Negro by this own conduct and character gave evidence that he was a more efficient tool than the Indian. The English took a good hand in securing this trade for the benefit of their nation. The first deal took place in 1583 when 24 Negros’s were brought from the Coast of Africa and quietly sold in the English market. The most intrepid, and who later became the most heartless of man-stealers known to history, was John Hawkins. Under Elizabeth he sailed forth in the good ship, The Jesus, to get Negroes from Africa whom he sold into the Spanish Colonies Bent on breaking the monopoly of Sapin, Sir Francis Drake followed Hawkins. International disputes over the pirating of these adventures arose which culminated in the clash and destruction of the Spanish Armada. It is interesting to bear in mind that in these disputes each nation shamelessly asserted that these acts of piracy committed by their subjects in stealing Negro slaves were “no private but public actions” supported by the respective states. Negro formed a dominant element in the population of the American Colonies so far as numbers were considered. In a real sense America including its islands was settled chiefly from Africa and by Negroes. Before 1800 the number of Negroes brought in America was more than 20 times that of all Europeans combined…. Slavery in India: Slavery was an institution which continued throughout all Indian history down to the year 1843 and, if it had not been abolished by the British Government by law in that year, it might have continued even today. While slavery lasted it applied to both the touchable as well as the untouchables…. The untouchables by reason of their poverty became subject to slavery oftener than did the touchable, so that up to 1843 the untouchables in India had to undergo the misfortune of being held in double bondage the bondage of slavery and the bondage of untouchability…. Such was the de facto condition of the Roman slave and the American Negro slave. Is there anything in the condition of the untouchables. of India which is comparable with the condition of the Roman Slave and the American slave? How many untouchables are engaged as the slaves in professions such as those of librarians, amanuenses, shorthand writers? How many untouchables are engaged as the slaves in Rome were in such intellectual occupations as those of rhetorician’s grammarians, philosophers, tutors, doctors, and artists. How many untouchables are engaged, as the slaves in Rome were, in the state service, in the treasury, in the mint and in other public offices? How many untouchables are engaged in trade, commerce or industry as were the slaves in Rome? Even comparing his position. with that of the Negro while he was a slave it cannot be said that the condition of the untouchable has been better. Is there any instance of untouchables having been artisans? Is there any instance of untouchable having maintained a school where Brahmin children have come to sit at his feet in search of learning? Why such a thing is unthinkable? But it has happened in the United States of America. In comparing the de facto condition of the Roman slave and the American Negro I have purposely taken the recent condition of the untouchables as the basis of a comparison for the simple reason that the present times are supposed to be the golden age for the untouchables. But comparing even the condition of the untouchables in modern times they are certainly a sunken community as compared with the condition of slaves in time which historians call barbarous. There can therefore, be no doubt that untouchables have been worse off than slaves…. Difference between US & India: The explanation of this paradox is quite simple. It will be easily understood if one bears in mind the relation between law and public opinion. Law and forces which govern the conduct of men…. The personality which the law withheld from the slave.
was bestowed upon him by society. There lies a profound difference between slavery and untouchability. In the case of the untouchable Just the opposite has happened. The personality which the law bestowed upon the untouchables is withheld by society…
A slave had a personality which counted notwithstanding the command of the law. An untouchable has no personality in spite of the command of the law…
But to enslave a person and to train him is certainly better than a state of barbarity accompanied by freedom….
Personality crushed: The question is why was the slave initiated into the high culture and why did it not fall to the lot of the untouchable to be so initiated? The question is very pertinent and I have raised it because the answer to the question will further reinforce the conclusion that has been reached, namely that untouchability is worse than slavery and that is because the slave had a personality and the untouchable has not.
The reason why the master took so much trouble to train the slave and to initiate him in the higher forms of labor and culture was undoubtedly the motive of gain. A skilled slave as an item was more valuable than an unskilled slave. If sold he would fetch better price. If hired out he would bring in more wages…. The slave was not held to be an untouchable that the master could train him and raise him. We again come back therefore, to the same conclusion namely that what has saved the slave is Thai his personality was recognized by society and what has ruined the untouchables is that Hindu society did not recognize his personality, treated him as unfit for human association and common dealing….
Untouchability is worse than slavery because it Carries no such security as to livelihood as the latter does. No one is responsible for the feeding, housing and clothing of the untouchable. From this point of view untouchability is not only worse than slavery but is positively cruel as compared to slavery. In slavery, the master has the obligation to find work for the slave. In a system of free labor workers have to compete with workers for obtaining work. In this scramble for work what chances has the untouchable for a fair deal? To put it shortly in this competition with the scales always weighing against him by reason of his social stigma he is the last to be employed and the first to be fired….
Religious sanction Under Hinduism: The second or rather the third difference between untouchability and slavery is that slavery was never obligatory. But untouchability is obliged. A person is “pinnated” to hold another as his slave. There is no compulsion on him if he does not want to. A Hindu on the other hand is “enjoined” to hold another as untouchable. There is compulsion on the Hindu which he cannot escape whatever his personal wishes in the matter may be.
EPILOGUE BY BHAGWAN DAS
Prophet Mohammed had a slave who collected all his sayings. In Moslem society slaves got better treatment than in any other society. Prophet Mohammed had laid down in the Koran humane treatment to be meted out to the slaves. Many slaves rose to high positions in the field of religion, learning, administration, art of war and other professions. Slave dynasty which ruled over a part of India (1296-1290) was founded by a Turk slave, Qutub-ud-din Aibak in the 13th century. Hasan, a slave born in an untouchable (Mehta) family of Gujarat rose to be a ruler of Delhi Sultanate under the name Khusro Shah. Derogatory terms like mean, lowly, despised Mehtar (honorific title of sweepers) were used against him by Muslim historians. He assassinated Mubarak Khalji and usurped his throne. He was killed in a battle with Ghiasuddin Tughlak, near Hauz Khas, New Delhi….
Seven kinds of slaves: Slavery existed in India just as much as it existed in the neighboring countries of Asia and Africa. The reasons which gave birth to slavery were identical. The Greek historian Megatheres did not notice slaves in India because there was nothing to compare with the slavery in Greece or Rome. But the law books and religious books mentioned the existence of slavery and slaves of different kinds. Manu the law-maker speaks of seven kinds of slaves….
Narada, followed Manu, has mentioned 15 kinds of slaves. Slave market (krita) is mentioned in the Dharma shastras. Arihashastra mentions five kinds of slaves. In spite of legal provisions slavery in many forms continued to exist in India. Kerala presented the worst form of slavery…. Hindus have been denying the existence of untouchability and avoiding its mention in international gatherings for, according to them it tarnishes the image of India and also of Hinduism….
Hindu imperialism may be more dangerous than the British or any other imperialism because the latter, at least in theory, believed in equality whilst the former is based on inequality. No other religion had condemned millions of people perpetually to
The life of deprivation and destitution to perform degrading and unpleasant duties with no hope of opportunity for change or freedom…
Special problem of India: The difference between the Blacks in South Africa, victims of apartheid, or the Blacks in America, victims of racial discrimination, and the Untouchables is that colour unites the Blacks whereas caste divides the Untouchables. While remaining within the fold of Hinduism, there is no hope for unity and rebellion against the system. Renunciation of Hinduism and declaration of religious independence for their liberation and advancement are as important as declaration of political independence for a subjugated people.
Untouchability having its origin in Hinduism affects more than 150,000,000 peoples living in different parts of the world and yet it has attracted little attention of the world community or the United Nations. Untouchables deserve sympathy, understanding and effective action to get rid of the stigma, discrimination and hostility against them.
