Questions and answers on Ambedkar's contribution

What civil liberties are guaranteed and protected by the Indian Constitution? A: The Indian Constitution guarantees and protects a wide range of civil liberties for individual citizens, including freedom of religion, the abolition of untouchability, and the outlawing of all forms of discrimination.

What were Ambedkar's arguments for extensive economic and social rights for women? A: Ambedkar was one of the ministers who argued for extensive economic and social rights for women.

What is the system of reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools and colleges for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and Other Backward Class? A: The system of reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools and colleges for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and Other Backward Class is a system akin to affirmative action.

What was the Constituent Assembly's goal in adopting the Constitution on 26 November 1949? A: The Constituent Assembly's goal in adopting the Constitution on 26 November 1949 was to eradicate the socio-economic inequalities and lack of opportunities for India's depressed classes through measures such as the system of reservations.

When did Ambedkar express his disapproval for the Constitution and what did he say? A: Ambedkar expressed his disapproval for the Constitution in 1953 during a parliament session and said, "People always keep on saying to me 'Oh you are the maker of the constitution.' My answer is I was a hack. What I was asked to do, I did much against my will." Ambedkar added that, "I am quite prepared to say that I shall be the first person to burn it out. I do not want it. It does not suit anybody."

What was Ambedkar's contribution to India's economy? A: Ambedkar was the first Indian to pursue a doctorate in economics abroad. He argued that industrialisation and agricultural growth could enhance the Indian economy. He stressed investment in agriculture as the primary industry of India.

What were Ambedkar's views on finance and revenue? A: Ambedkar's views on finance and revenue were that governments should ensure their expenditures have "faithfulness, wisdom and economy." In his PhD dissertation, The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India, he analyzed the various systems used by the British colonial government to manage finances in India.

What was Ambedkar's theory of State Socialism? A: Ambedkar's theory of State Socialism had three points: state ownership of agricultural land, the maintenance of resources for production by the state, and a just distribution of these resources to the population.

What were Ambedkar's views on agricultural land and industrialization? A: Ambedkar's views on agricultural land were that too much of it was idle or not being utilized properly. He believed there was an "ideal proportion" of production factors that would allow agricultural land to be used most productively. To this end, he saw the large portion of people who lived in agriculture at the time as a major problem. Therefore, he advocated industrialization of the economy to allow these agricultural laborers to be of more use elsewhere.

What were the scholarly books on economics written by Ambedkar? A: Ambedkar wrote three scholarly books on economics: Administration and Finance of the East India Company, The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India, and The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Its Solution. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was based on the ideas that Ambedkar presented to the Hilton Young Commission.