Speaking Tiger
Periyar's Polemical Fire: Annihilating Caste from Within and Without →
A review discussing how the compilation frames Periyar's genius as a philosophical intervention masquerading as mass mobilization.
Caste and the Crisis of Dignity: Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Speaks
The Fight for Radical Equality
In a brilliant tactical inversion, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy utilized early twentieth-century caste association meetings to advocate for the complete annihilation of caste. Edited by V.M.S. Subagunarajan, this vital collection showcases Periyar's radical polemics aimed at dismantling inherited inequality. It underscores his fundamental belief that the fight for social justice is intrinsically a fight for self-respect.
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, communities across the Madras Presidency scrambled to define or elevate their social ranks through caste associations and colonial censuses. Recognizing the potential of these gatherings, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy transformed forums born of hierarchy into powerful platforms for equality. He ingeniously praised his audiences and urged solidarity, only to systematically dismantle the Brahminical religious and moral codes that sustained social tyranny.
Compiled and introduced by V.M.S. Subagunarajan, this essential volume serves as an important archive of Periyar’s lifelong campaign against inherited inequality. The speeches within reveal a political practice driven by an uncompromising vision of human dignity, encapsulating his core philosophy: if no one is below us, then no one is above us. It is a powerful testament to a dynamic thinker who boldly confronted the intersections of caste, masculinity, and religion to secure a radically egalitarian future.
