438 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
feudatories and persons in authorities under Native powers and who may be termed the Soldier class.
2nd. — Those who have acquired wealth in trade or commerce or the commercial class.
3rd. — The higher employees of Government.
4th. — Brahmins with whom may be associated, though at long interval, those of higher castes of writers who live by the pen and as Parbhus and Seenvies in Bombay, Kayasthas in Bengal, provided they acquire a position either in learning or station.
Brahmins The Most Influential
“ Paragraph 18. Of these four classes incomparably the most influential, the most numerous and on the whole easiest to be worked on by the Government, are the latter. It is a well recognised fact throughout India that the ancient Jagirdars or soldier class are daily deteriorating under our rule.
- nor among the commercial classes, with a few exceptions, is their much greater opening for the influences of superior education. .
- Lastly the employees of the State, though they possess a great influence over the large numbers who come in contact with Government, have no influence, whatever, with the still larger numbers who are independent of Government ;
Poverty of Brahmins
- Paragraph 19. The above analysis, though it may appear lengthy is nevertheless, indispensable, for certain important conclusions deducible from it. First, it demonstrates that the influential class whom the Government are able to avail themselves of in diffusing the seeds of education are the Brahmins and other high castes Brahmanis proximi.
Question as to Educating Low Castes
“ Paragraph 21. The practical conclusion to be drawn from these facts which years of experience have forced upon our notice, is that a very wide door should be opened to the children of the poor higher castes, who are willing to receive education at our hands. But here, again, another embarrassing question arises, which it is right to notice. If the children of the poor are admitted freely to Government