Dispatch #95: Ambedkar's Preamble- Unpacking the vision behind India's Constitutional promise
This dispatch unpacks how justice, liberty, equality, & fraternity became the pillars of India’s Constitution, reflecting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s transformative vision
Today, on our Constitution Day, as we celebrate India's democratic foundations, it is essential to revisit the Preamble—a powerful statement of the nation’s core values. Aakash Singh Rathore’s book, Ambedkar's Preamble: A Secret History of the Constitution of India, takes us on a journey into making these 81 words. Rathore reveals how Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s contributions shaped the Preamble, turning it into a timeless blueprint for justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Through this dispatch, we’ll delve into the book's key themes, exploring how Ambedkar infused the Preamble with his transformative vision for an inclusive India—an idea that has been under significant strain over the past decade.
Justice: Social, Economic, and Political
The Preamble begins by emphasizing justice—a testament to Ambedkar’s belief that democracy must go beyond political rights to address entrenched social and economic inequities. Rathore explains how Ambedkar viewed justice not as abstract idealism but as a pragmatic goal for a society plagued by caste oppression and economic disparities.
Social Justice: Ambedkar envisioned a society free from the rigidities of caste. He argued that without eradicating caste-based discrimination, democracy would remain hollow.
Economic Justice: Rathore highlights Ambedkar’s insistence on redistributive policies. For Ambedkar, political equality was meaningless without addressing economic inequalities.
Political Justice: The Constitution safeguards equal participation in governance, ensuring that marginalized voices are not excluded from decision-making.
Justice, according to Ambedkar, was the foundation of an egalitarian democracy. By placing it first in the Preamble, he framed the Constitution’s moral and ethical imperative.
Liberty: Ensuring human dignity
Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship represents the inalienable freedoms essential for individual dignity. Rathore connects these freedoms to Ambedkar’s personal experiences with caste-based oppression and his exposure to Enlightenment ideas.
The personal struggle: Ambedkar’s life was a testament to the power of education and free thought in overcoming systemic barriers.
Liberty’s boundaries: Rathore explains how Ambedkar balanced liberty with equality, arguing that unrestrained freedom for the privileged often deepens social inequities.
Ambedkar saw liberty not as an isolated right but as part of a triad with equality and fraternity. Together, these values ensure that freedom empowers individuals without disrupting the collective good.
Equality: Transforming a hierarchical society
Rathore examines equality of status and opportunity as Ambedkar’s most radical intervention in the Preamble. In a deeply hierarchical society, this principle was a direct challenge to entrenched power structures.
Equality of status: Ambedkar emphasized equal treatment for all, regardless of caste, religion, or gender. Rathore highlights how this principle influenced affirmative action policies, ensuring representation for marginalized communities.
Equality of opportunity: For Ambedkar, true democracy meant levelling the playing field through education, economic reforms, and access to public resources.
Rathore contextualizes Ambedkar’s focus on equality within his broader vision for a “social democracy” where political rights and social justice reinforce one another.
Fraternity: The unifying principle
Among the Preamble’s core values, fraternity is uniquely Ambedkarian. Ambedkar emphasized that fraternity, as derived from the French Revolution, was insufficient to capture the essence of his philosophy. He saw Maitri or Metta—a Buddhist principle denoting universal fellowship and goodwill—as a more potent concept. This shift highlights his belief that fraternity should transcend human connections to embrace all living being. Rathore delves into how this principle reflects Ambedkar’s understanding of India’s deep divisions and the need for solidarity to build a cohesive nation.
Fraternity and caste: Ambedkar believed that fraternity was essential to bridging caste divisions. Without a sense of shared community, he warned, democracy would be reduced to empty formalities.
Fraternity and unity: Rathore emphasizes the phrase “assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation” as central to Ambedkar’s vision. Dignity is not just an individual right but a collective responsibility, fostering unity in diversity.
Fraternity binds justice, liberty, and equality into a cohesive framework, ensuring that individual rights do not undermine social harmony. Interestingly, fraternity was not part of the Objectives Resolution or early drafts of the Preamble. Ambedkar personally introduced the term into the Draft Constitution, recognizing the critical need for a unifying principle in a divided society. This inclusion was universally appreciated by the Constituent Assembly, which acknowledged its moral and social significance.
The evolution of the Preamble
Rathore reveals the layered history of the Preamble’s drafting, challenging the notion that it is solely based on Nehru’s Objectives Resolution.
Ambedkar’s inputs: Rathore argues that Ambedkar’s intellectual contributions were pivotal in refining the Preamble. Terms like fraternity and dignity reflect his emphasis on creating a moral foundation for the Constitution.
Drafting as a collaborative process: While Nehru’s Objectives Resolution provided the initial framework, Rathore highlights the nuanced debates and revisions that shaped the final text, underscoring Ambedkar’s role as both a jurist and a philosopher.
Ambedkar’s vision in today’s India
Rathore’s exploration of Ambedkar’s Preamble is not just historical—it is profoundly relevant to contemporary India. The values of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity are as crucial today as they were in 1950.
Rising inequalities: As India grapples with caste-based discrimination, economic disparities, and social fragmentation, the Preamble serves as a moral compass.
A call to action: Rathore challenges readers to move beyond token celebrations of the Constitution and actively engage with its principles. He reminds us that democracy thrives not on static ideals but on their dynamic realization.
Conclusion: A living Preamble
As we reflect on Constitution Day, Rathore’s work invites us to rediscover the Preamble not as a relic of the past but as a living document that guides India’s democratic journey. Ambedkar’s contributions remind us that the Constitution is a tool for transformation, capable of addressing the deepest inequities in society. The Preamble is not just a statement of ideals—it is a call to action. By embracing its values, we honour Ambedkar’s vision and reaffirm our commitment to building a just, free, and united India.
Here’s a brilliant video by the CLPR Trust on the making of India’s Constitution.