Slavery
by Mahatma Phule
Slavery was written around 1900 as an expose on the caste system in India. As a reformer and social activist, Phule (along with his wife) advocated for women’s education and sought to bring light on the devastating “slavery of the mind” which enabled the upper caste peoples (particularly the Brahmin caste) to control and continue impoverishment of the vast majority of Indian people using the Hindu religion.
Ambedkar, one of the father’s of India independence (author of the Indian constitution and himself a dalit … aka Untouchable), condemned the Hindu religion which he referred to as Brahminism … essentially the worship of Brahmins.
I have included PDFs of the Slavery book as, although I have a hard copy, it is no longer in print and very hard to find. I found this copy on-line, but the website which published it is quite unreliable.
Related posts on the India caste system:
Slavery by Mahatma Phule
DEDICATED TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
AS A TOKEN OF ADMIRATION FOR THEIR SUBLIME DISINTERESTED AND SELF SACRIFICING DEVOTION
in the cause of Negro slavery;
and with an earnest desire,
that my countrymen may take their noble
examples as their guide in the emancipation
of their Sudra Brethren from
the trammels of Brahmin thraldom.
- Intro
- Preface
- Part I
- Part II
- Part III
- Part IV (missing – if you have e-version, please note in comments)
- Part V
- Part VI
- Phule Bio
Please post comments on what you think of this and whether it is relevant for today.
Defeat Poverty 
Hi Dave, I found your effort really appreciable. This is the book by Mahatma Phule we grew up reading. He was the first in modern India to raise his voice against the caste system. Dr. Ambedkar considered him his inspirational mentor, and look at the date you published this post, it’s December 6, that’s death anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar.
Mahatma Phule’s work is completely in public domain, I wish you will get the missing part soon.
~Ganesh.
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Hi Dave, Thanks a ton for making this books available and all the great work you are doing for Poverty Alleviation. Hats of to you and all folks like you!
I know I am not in anyway eligible enough to advice you but I have one suggestion. MicroFinance is great tool and yes, 1000s of millions out there in India need it. But just lending money is not enough. It is needed but not enough. What they will need along with some money is lessons on how to value Dignity & Self-Respect. Many years of continous exploitation have killed their sense of Self-Respect. In some ways the government and whole system in Upper Caste in nature. They see no point in educating these people as that is treat to their monopoly. The people don’t know what their rights are, what budget is, what government is suppose to do for them! They need to brought out of their ignorance. Only when food gets into their bellies they will realize that. So along with MiCroFinance, it will help if they are taught some lessons on Rights and Self-Respect. Once a great man said, let the slave know that he is a slave and then he will retaliate. Thank you so much.
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