Ambedkar on Poverty and Inequality: Policy Directions for the 21st Century

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar remains one of the most influential thinkers on social justice, economic inequality, and structural poverty in India. While his writings are often discussed within political or social contexts, his economic insights particularly his analysis of caste-based exploitation, labour markets, and institutional exclusion offer timeless frameworks for contemporary policy discourse. This paper revisits Ambedkar's contributions to the debate on poverty and inequality and situates them within 21st-century developmental challenges. Using secondary literature, historical economic reasoning, and a qualitative analytical method, the paper evaluates Ambedkar's perspectives on structural deprivation and proposes policy directions aligned with the modern socio-economic landscape. The analysis highlights that Ambedkar's approach was essentially institutional, rights-based, and redistributive, advocating for state intervention, affirmative action, educational expansion, labour protections, and social democracy. The paper concludes by presenting actionable policy directions rooted in Ambedkarite principles for addressing contemporary poverty and inequality.