"This important volume traces the history of the Dalit movement form its origins to the death of its most famous leader, B.R. Ambedkar, in 1956. Focusing on three states - Andhra, Maharashtra, and Karnataka - the author skillfully analyzes the ideology and organization of the movement and its interaction both with the freedom struggle, particularly with Gandhi and Gandhism, and the class struggles of the workers and peasants, and their dominant idealogy - Marxism."--Pub. desc.