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The Great Gatsby
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B. R. Ambedkar Quotes

Caste may be bad. Caste may lead to conduct so gross as to be called man’s inhumanity to man. All the same, it must be recognized that the Hindus observe Caste not because they are inhuman or wrong-headed. They observe Caste because they are deeply religious.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man’s life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Generally speaking, the Smritikars never care to explain the why and the how of their dogmas.

– B. R. Ambedkar

I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Indians today are governed by two different ideologies. Their political ideal set in the preamble of the Constitution affirms a life of liberty, equality and fraternity. Their social ideal embodied in their religion denies them.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Political tyranny is nothing compared to the social tyranny and a reformer who defies society is a more courageous man than a politician who defies Government.

– B. R. Ambedkar

However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Law and order are the medicine of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Religion and slavery are incompatible.

– B. R. Ambedkar

History shows that where ethics and economics come in conflict, victory is always with economics. Vested interests have never been known to have willingly divested themselves unless there was sufficient force to compel them.

– B. R. Ambedkar

I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Life should be great rather than long.

– B. R. Ambedkar

In Hinduism, conscience, reason and independent thinking have no scope for development.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life.

– B. R. Ambedkar

The relationship between husband and wife should be one of closest friends.

– B. R. Ambedkar

A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society.

– B. R. Ambedkar

One can quite understand vegetarianism. One can quite understand meat-eating. But it is difficult to understand why a person who is a flesh-eater should object to one kind of flesh, namely cow’s flesh. This is an anomaly which call for explanation.

– B. R. Ambedkar

An ideal society should be mobile, should be full of channels for conveying a change taking place in one part to other parts. In an ideal society, there should be many interests consciously communicated and shared.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules. The moment it degenerates into rules, it ceases to be a religion, as it kills responsibility which is an essence of the true religious act.

– B. R. Ambedkar

A people and their religion must be judged by social standards based on social ethics. No other standard would have any meaning if religion is held to be necessary good for the well-being of the people.

– B. R. Ambedkar

We are Indians, firstly and lastly.

– B. R. Ambedkar

So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Caste is not a physical object like a wall of bricks or a line of barbed wire which prevents the Hindus from co-mingling and which has, therefore, to be pulled down. Caste is a notion; it is a state of the mind.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence.

– B. R. Ambedkar

Men are mortal. So are ideas. An idea needs propagation as much as a plant needs watering. Otherwise both will wither and die.

– B. R. Ambedkar

The sovereignty of scriptures of all religions must come to an end if we want to have a united integrated modern India.

– B. R. Ambedkar