B R Ambedkar's significance and continuing legacy
has been examined largely within the context of dalit emancipation.
Yet, his central philosophical concern was how to bring about democracy
in a society so riven by caste hierarchy and communal division. His
detailed consideration of the case for Pakistan was seen by many at the
time as contradicting the goals of Indian nationalism. However, his
support for Pakistan fits within his philosophy of democracy. This paper
presents a close reading of Ambedkar's positions on nationalism,
Pakistan, and the protection of minorities. While he saw Pakistan as a
logical extension of a demand for protection against the "tyranny of the
majority", it considers why he believed Muslims were not simply one
among many of India's minorities.
