Jotirao Phule Social Justice
Jotirao Phule Social Justice
I. Introduction and Context
Jotirao Phule (1827–1890) is recognized for his pioneering contribution to the field of social justice, and his vision and practices have a vital role in the evolution of Indian perception towards self.
- Influence: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a definitive voice on social equity, acknowledged Phule as one of his gurus.
- Core Philosophy: Phule and his colleagues identified caste as slavery and believed that the root of this enslavement lay in the Brahmin religious values and machinations.
- Historical Setting (Maharashtra): Phule operated in 19th-century Maharashtra, a region previously ruled by the Peshwas, who maintained a strict, traditional Brahminical order with state support. The end of the Peshwa rule in 1818 removed this political support, allowing access to education for shudras, often provided by Protestant missionaries.
- Colonial Paradox: While British rule brought social mobility (through public works and the ryotwari land system) and hope for uplift, Brahmins benefited disproportionately from the expansion of British administration due to their traditional association with literacy, inadvertently reinforcing their religious authority and hegemony.
II. Life, Works, and Activism
Phule was born into a low-caste family of Malis (gardeners) in Pune, likely in 1827.
- Intellectual Foundation: He read Thomas Paine’s Rights of Men before completing his secondary school education, which made a lasting impact on his mind.
- Key Activism:
- Founded a school for shudra and atishudra girls in 1848.
- Founded another school for girls of all castes, and an evening school for working-class people (1855).
- Opened the drinking water tank in his house to untouchables in 1868.
- Launched a campaign for widow remarriage.
- Served as a nominated member of the Pune Municipal Council from 1876 to 1882.
- Major Organization: He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of the Seekers of Truth) on September 24, 1873, to realize his reformist vision.
- Writings (Ideas):
- Gulamgiri (Slavery) (1873): The manifesto of the Satyashodhak Samaj, focusing on the origins and ideological foundations of the Brahminical order.
- Shetkarya Asud (Cultivator’s Whipcord): Exposed the exploitative character of the social order.
- Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Pustak (The Book of the True Faith) (1891, posthumous): Offered a theology of egalitarianism.
III. Anatomy of Slavery and Brahminical Hegemony
Phule’s works focused on the plight of the shudras and atishudras, viewing their condition as a result of ancient conquest and religious deception.
- Conquest Theory: He adopted the contemporary research suggesting Aryans were invaders from Western and Central Asia who conquered the indigenous people. Phule claimed the wars of the Devas (gods) and Daityas/Rakshasas were narratives of the invading Brahmins conquering the indigenous people, whom he called the “protectors of the land (Rakshas)”.
- Institutionalizing Domination: After military conquest, the Aryans devised the “weird system of mythology, the ordination of caste, and the code of cruel and inhuman laws” to perpetuate dominance.
- Dehumanization: Brahmins ensured that shudras and atishudras were held in contempt, denying them the “commonest rights of humanity”. Their touch, and even their shadow, was deemed a pollution, enforcing segregation.
- Mechanisms of Control: Slavery was maintained through violence and sustained by ideology. The key methods were:
- Denial of Education: The Brahmins barred education to the lower castes to keep them ignorant. Phule argued that without knowledge, intelligence, morality, dynamism, and money were lost, causing misery.
- Religious Exploitation: Brahmins used rituals and life-cycle ceremonies (from garbhdhaan to shraadha) to extract offerings (fleecing) from shudra farmers, resorting to instilling divine fear, cheating, and bullying.
- Administrative Exploitation: As Brahmins dominated all levels of the British administration, they continued to harass and exploit shudras. Phule called Brahmin government employees “pen-wielding butchers” who extorted bribes.
IV. Strategy for Liberation and Political Views
Phule’s path to liberation involved frontal attacks on Brahminical texts, promotion of education, and cautious support for British rule.
- Subversion of Mythology: He attacked the rationale and holiness of Hindu texts. He ridiculed figures like Brahma and reinterpreted Vishnu’s incarnations (avatars) as cunning Brahmin aggressors who defeated the righteous non-Brahmin kings of the land, such as Bali.
- Focus on Education: Phule declared that providing education to the masses was the crux of the remedy. He advocated for the massive expansion of primary education and employing trained teachers from lower castes. He criticized the government for profusely spending revenue, raised mostly from the ryot‘s labor, on higher education which only benefited the high castes.
- Political Identity: Phule created a political identity centered on a dvaivarnik (two-varna) structure, polarizing society into Brahmins and non-Brahmins. He fostered a Maratha identity for the laboring and cultivating castes, drawing on warrior and cultivator traditions in opposition to Brahminical hegemony.
- Stance on British Rule:
- Phule believed the British rule was a “godsend opportunity” to fight the Brahminical yoke, as it provided the necessary cognitive tools for liberation.
- He asked for the British Raj to continue for a long period to allow lower castes to develop skills denied to them previously.
- He recommended that the government employ European/Scottish preachers or retired European collectors to supervise Brahmin officials and impart true knowledge to the shudras.
- He condemned the 1857 rebellion as a Brahmin-led revolt and ridiculed the British for rewarding the treacherous Brahmins with administrative jobs.
- Despite seeing the British rule as necessary, he recognized its unsustainable character, writing: “The English are here today, but who knows whether they will be here tomorrow? They won’t be there till eternity”. He also criticized the economic exploitation caused by British tax policies.
- Critique of Nationalism: He called the emergent nationalist movement a high caste elitist project aimed at deceiving the masses and establishing upper-caste hegemony. He warned shudras against making common cause with Brahmins in the movement.
V. Gender Justice and Theology of Equality
Phule’s vision was comprehensive, addressing gender equality as an issue separate from and parallel to caste oppression.
- Gender as a Separate Factor of Oppression: He equated the status of women with shudras and atishudras, arguing they were co-victims of Brahminical culture. He negated caste differentiation among women and treated gender as a separate factor for oppression.
- Activism for Women: He opened a home for pregnant Brahmin widows to counter the evils of abortion and infanticide caused by the ban on widow remarriage, and even adopted a child born there. He advocated for equal human rights for both men and women.
- Theology: Phule was a believer who offered a monotheistic, humane, and benevolent theology, rejecting the mediatory role of Brahmins. He argued that the Creator intended all human beings to enjoy privileges and rights equally. He rejected traditional religious texts, claiming they were unreliable because they contained passages interpolated by certain dogmatic groups to serve their selfish interests, causing hatred and sectarianism.
VI. Assessment
Phule’s accounts are often seen as tactical rather than rigorous academic history, as he blends mythology with historical figures to serve his political goals.
- Lasting Contribution: His genius lay in uniting and organizing the suppressed masses for their humanity. He showed how religion, politics, and economics intertwined to perpetuate a formidable system of hegemony and domination.
- Anticipation of State Role: Phule strongly advocated for state intervention to promote social change and ensure social justice, anticipating modern inclusive development policies and free/compulsory education.