Vol. 3 · pages 106–110

PART II India and The Pre-requisites of Communism We are reproducing here the text of Chapter One and Two of ‘The Hindu Social Order’. This Chapter seems to be a part of the book entitled ‘India and Communism’. From the contents on the first page of the typed script, we find that Dr. Ambedkar had divided the whole book “India and Communism” into three parts. The first part was captioned as ‘The Prerequisites of Communism’. This part was to have three Chapters but we could not find any of these Chapters in Dr. Ambedkar’s papers. So far as the part Two is concerned which is titled “India and the Pre-requisites of Communism”, only Chapter Four entitled, “Hindu Social Order” has been found in a well bound register. This Chapter has two sub-titles as follows :— I—Hindu Social Order: Its Essential Principles, and II—The Hindu Social Order: Its Unique Features. No other chapters on the subjects mentioned in the table of contents of this book were found. In all, there are 63 foolscap typed pages.—Editors.

CHAPTER 2 The Hindu Social Order: Its Essential Principles I What is the character of the Hindu Social Order? Is it a free social order? To answer this question, some idea of what constitutes a free social order is necessary. Fortunately, the matter is not one of controversy. Since the days of the French Revolution there is no difference as to the essentials of a free social order. There may be more but two are fundamental. Generally speaking, they are two. The first is that the individual is an end in himself and that the aim and object of society is the growth of the individual and the development of his personality. Society is not above the individual and if the individual has to subordinate himself to society, it is because such subordination is for his betterment and only to the extent necessary. The second essential is that the terms of associated life between members of society must be regarded by consideration founded on liberty, equality and fraternity. Why are these two essentials fundamental to a free social order? Why must the individual be the end and not the means of all social purposes? For an answer to this question, it is necessary to realise what we precisely mean when we speak of the human person. Why should we sacrifice our most precious possessions and our lives to defend the rights of the human person? No better answer to this question can be found than what is given by Prof. Jacques Maritain. As Prof. Maritain in his essay on ‘The Conquest of Freedom’ 1 says:— “What do we mean precisely when we speak of the human person? When we say that a man is a person, we do not mean merely that he is an individual, in the sense that an atom, a blade of grass, a fly, or an elephant is an individual. Man is an individual who holds himself in hand by his intelligence and his will; he exists not merely in a physical fashion. He has spiritual super-existence through knowledge and love, so that he is, in a way, a universe in 1 Freedom—Its Meaning by Ruth Nanda Kishen. p. 214.

96 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES himself, a microcomos, in which the great universe in its entirety can be encompassed through knowledge. By love he can give himself completely to beings who are to him, as it were, other selves. For this relation no equivalent can be found in the physical world. The human person possesses these characteristics because in the last analysis man, this flesh and these perishable bones which are animated and activated by a divine fire, exists ‘from the womb to the grave’ by virtue of the existence itself of his soul, which dominates time and death. Spirit is the root of personality. The notion of personality thus involves that of totality and independence, no matter how poor and crushed a person may be, he is a whole, and as a person subsistent in an independent manner. To say that a man is a person is to say that in the depth of his being he is more a whole than a part and more independent than servile. It is to say that he is a minute fragment of matter that is at the same time a universe, a beggar who participates in the absolute being, mortal flesh whose value is external and a bit of straw-into which heaven enters. It is this metaphysical mystery that religious thought designates when it says that the person is the image of God. The value of the person, his dignity and rights, belong to the order of things naturally sacred which bear the imprint of the Father of Being, and which have in him the end of their movement.” Why is Equality essential ? The best exposition of the subject is by Prof. Beard in his essay on ‘Freedom in Political Thought’ and I shall do no more than quote him. Says Prof. Beard 1 : “The term ‘Equality’ is unfortunate, but no other word can be found as a substitute. Equality means ‘exactly the same or equivalent in measure, amount, number, degree, value, or quality’. It is a term exact enough in physics and mathematics, but ovbiously inexact when applied to human beings. What is meant by writers who have gone deepest into the subject is that human beings possess, in degree and kind, fundamental characteristics that are common to humanity. These writers hold that when humanity is stripped of extrinsic goods and conventions incidental to time and place, it reveals essential characteristics so widely distributed as to partake of universality. Whether these characteristics be called primordial qualities, biological necessities, residues or any other name matters little. No one can truthfully deny that they do exist. It is easy to point out inequalities in physical strength, in artistic skill, in material wealth, or in mental capacity, but this too is a matter of emphasis. At the end it remains a fact that fundamental 1 Freedom — Its Meaning—pp. 11-13.

97 THE HINDU SOCIAL ORDER : ITS ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES characteristics appear in all human beings. Their nature and manifestations are summed up in the phrase ‘moral equality’. Emphasis must be placed on the term ‘moral’. From time immemorial it has been the fashion of critics to point out the obvious facts that in physical strength, talents, and wealth, human beings are not equal. The criticism is both gratuitous and irrelevant. No rational exponent of moral equality has even disputed the existence of obvious inequalities among human beings, even when he has pointed out inequalities which may be ascribed to tyranny or institutional prescriptions. The Declaration of Independence does not assert that all men are equal; it proclaims that they are ‘created’ equal. In essence the phrase ‘moral equality’ asserts in ethical value, a belief to be sustained, and recognition of rights to be respected. Its validity cannot be demonstrated as a problem in mathematics can be demonstrated. It is asserted against inequalities in physical strength, talents, industry, and wealth. It denied that superior physical strength has a moral right to kill, eat, or oppress human beings merely because it is superior. To talents and wealth, the ideal of moral equality makes a similar denial of right. And indeed few can imagine themselves to have superior physical strength, talents and wealth will withhold from inferiors all moral rights. In such circumstances government and wealth would go to superior physical strength; while virtue and talents would serve the brute man, as accomplished Greek slaves served the whims, passions and desires to Roman conquerors. When the last bitter word of criticism has been uttered against the ideal of moral equality, there remains something in it which all, except things, must accept and in practice do accept, despite their sheers and protests. A society without any respect for human personalities is a band of robbers.” Why is Fraternity essential? Fraternity is the name for the disposition of an individual to treat men as the object of reverence and love and the desire to be in unity with his fellow beings. This statement is well expressed by Paul when he said ‘Of one blood are all nations of men, There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female; for yet are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Equally well was it expressed when the Pilgrim Fathers on their landing at Plymouth said: “We are knit together as a body in the most sacred covenant of the Lord ..... by virtue of which we hold ourselves tied to all care of each others’ good and of the whole.” These sentiments are of the essence of fraternity. Fraternity strengthens socialties and gives to each individual a stronger personal