Impact of neo-liberal economic development marginalized and socially oppressed groups in India
Modern democracy is synonymous with both the values of social harmony and reforms that ensure dignity and self-respect to its participants, especially the historically deprived and socially marginalised people.
Democratic institutions are mandated to engage with the worst-off social groups and ensure their substantive participation as a significant governing class in political affairs.
The socially oppressed groups in India, especially Dalits, adored and celebrated such modern virtues because of their liberative potential and
egalitarian goals.
Babasaheb Ambedkar emerged as a torchbearer of liberal enlightened ideas and expected that post-colonial India would be distinct from the exploitative Brahmanical past and invite Dalits to be equal shareholders in the nation’s economic and political development.
With the ascent of neo-liberal economic development, the conventional support that Dalits and Adivasis have received from state institutions, has derailed.
Vision of Babasaheb Ambedkar
Ambedkar becomes crucial in a discourse for Dalits because his approach allows us to diagnose illnesses in the social and economic order.
He offers ethical corrective measures to make institutions more democratic, representative and closer to the claims and the desires of marginalised social groups.
Though the mechanism of social justice is not radical and transformative, it provides moral sensibilities to institutions and makes it responsible towards the diverse population.
It is well-documented that the neo-liberal market is alien to such ethical values and overtly celebrates the exclusive control of few corporate bodies and businessmen over capitalist development.
Such a distancing of the market from social responsibilities, especially its neglect towards the aspirations and the demands of Dalits and Adivasis has made the market enterprise more exploitative and closer to a crony capitalist mode.
It is an appropriate time to imagine how the worst-off social groups can become an integral and substantive part of the new economic order.
It is required that the new social justice policies be expanded to the private economy, with a focus to democratise the working classes and to reduce poverty.
The new framework of social justice must ensure that an impressive class among Dalits and Adivasis emerges as the leaders, business entrepreneurs and influencers in the economic sphere.
Ambedkar looked upon the modern state as the key transformative force for the emancipation of Dalits and Adivasis.
The neo-liberal realm, the state has been converted as the passive associate of big business that readily deviates from its social
responsibilities and welfarist values.
The new agenda of social justice should be oriented towards the leaders of the market economy, educating to adopt welfarist measures for the worst-off social groups, and making them integral to economic development.
Ambedkar’s version of social justice would help us to redefine capitalism as a pluralist and cooperative mode of economic order.
That guarantees the substantive participation of Dalits and Adivasis in the market economy and in the associated institutions of power and privileges.
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