Dr BR Ambedkar on "Strikes"- by Nikhil Sablania

If to-day the back of the workers is completely broken, if to-day the masters have the upper hand, if to-day unionism is an anathema, it is entirely due to the misuse of the power which the Communists had at one time secured over the trade unions. Their aim seems to bring about discontent among the workers as though there was any absence of it, because they believe that with a body of discontented workers they will bring about a revolution and establish the rule of the proletariat. Therefore to bring about discontent they launched upon a systematic campaign of organizing disorganization. The series of strikes on which they rove the men can have no other meaning and no other consequence except that it was a deliberate attempt to organize disorganization. For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent : what is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice, necessity and importance of social and political rights. Not even a revolutionary Marxist would make a fetish of strikes, as was done in the good old days by the Revolutionary Syndicalist. The strike was never considered by revolutionary Marxist as a "revolutionary exercise" but was regarded as a very serious measure to be restored to as a last extremity after all efforts have proved unavailing. But the Communists have thrown all this to the winds and have looked upon strike as a divine means of creating discontent among the workers. Whether they have created greater discontent or not, they have most certainly destroyed the way trade union organizations which were the source of their strength and their power and now they are practically on the streets seeking to take shelter under all sorts of capitalist organizations. What else can be expected from such a senseless activity. The communist is like an incendiary who in his desire to set up a general conflagration has not taken care to save his own house. As a result there are no unions in existence to which workers can resort to.

(Excerpts from - Presidential address delivered on 12th and 13th February, 1938 to the G.I.P. Railway Depressed Class Workmen's Conference held at Manmad Distt., Nasik, Maharashtra)

Taken from edited collection of his speeches from Bhagwan Das ji's book "Thus Spoke Ambedkar" Vol 1





Thus Spoke Ambedkar (English) : This is a collection of speeches delivered by Dr BR Ambedkar at Round Table Conference London and on Communal Award Poona Pact, On Labour Democracy and On the constitution of India (edited by Bhagwan Das who had a good association with Dr Ambedkar) (This is the first volume published on Dr Ambedkar's speeches in the year 1963).

A must read text to understand many thoughts of Dr BR Ambedkar as on Socialism, Indian Constitution, Political Stand on Scheduled Castes and Lobour Unions etc. - Nikhil Sablania

For this books contact Nikhil Sablania at 9013306236, 011 23744243 or mail at sablanian@gmail.com