Chapter 4: Who Can Be Called a Great Man — Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
This section contains comprehensive study resources for Who Can Be Called a Great Man — Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, including short-answer questions, medium-answer paragraph analyses, and detailed handwritten-style essays with structural outlines.
Section A: 10 Short Answer Questions & Answers (1–2 Sentences)
Q1: Who is the author of 'Who can be called a Great Man'?
Answer: The author is Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, social reformer, and jurist.
Q2: What is the source of the extract 'Who can be called a Great Man'?
Answer: The extract is taken from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's famous address titled 'Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah,' delivered in January 1943.
Q3: Why does Ambedkar state that military conquerors cannot be called 'great'?
Answer: He states that their victories are temporary and physical, leaving no permanent moral, ethical, or positive mark on the history of mankind.
Q4: What are the three tests of greatness discussed by Ambedkar in the essay?
Answer: The three tests are Thomas Carlyle's test of sincerity, Lord Rosebery's test of intellect and administrative power, and Ambedkar's own test of social purpose.
Q5: What is the primary foundation of greatness according to Thomas Carlyle?
Answer: According to Thomas Carlyle, absolute sincerity is the primary foundation and first characteristic of a truly great man.
Q6: How did Carlyle warn his readers about the test of sincerity?
Answer: He warned that we must look for deep, genuine sincerity, not the loud, self-conceited sincerity of a shallow braggart who boasts of his honesty.
Q7: What combination of qualities did Lord Rosebery propose for greatness?
Answer: Lord Rosebery proposed that greatness is a combination of extraordinary intellect and supreme administrative power, as seen in Napoleon.
Q8: Why does Ambedkar believe that sincerity and intellect are not enough for greatness?
Answer: He believes they are not enough because a man can be highly sincere and intelligent but still use his powers to harm society or support bad causes.
Q9: What is the key requirement of Ambedkar's own test of a great man?
Answer: Ambedkar's test requires that a great man must be motivated by a social purpose and must act as the scourge and scavenger of society to clean up social evils.
Q10: How does a great man differ from an eminent individual according to Ambedkar?
Answer: An eminent individual is simply superior in talent, but a great man must use his superior talents to serve society, especially in times of crisis.
Section B: 10 Medium Answer Questions & Answers (Paragraph-Style)
Q1: Explain how Ambedkar distinguishes a great man from an eminent individual.
Answer: Ambedkar argues that merely being an eminent individual—having superior intellect, talent, or status—is not enough to make a person a great man. An eminent individual is someone who stands out because of his personal achievements, wealth, or power, but his life is focused on his own success. A great man, however, must possess a high level of moral sincerity and must dedicate his life and talents to the service of others. He must stand ready to help his society during a period of crisis, making a deep, permanent difference to the moral and social life of his people.
Q2: Discuss Thomas Carlyle’s test of greatness as analyzed by Dr. Ambedkar.
Answer: Thomas Carlyle’s test of greatness is based entirely on the moral value of sincerity. Carlyle believed that a great man must be deeply and genuinely sincere, meaning his thoughts, words, and actions are completely honest and free from hypocrisy. However, Ambedkar notes that Carlyle was careful to warn that this sincerity should not be a shallow, self-seeking, or loud 'sincerity' of a braggart who boasts of his own goodness. True sincerity is quiet, deep, and genuine, forming the essential moral foundation of a great leader's character.
Q3: Analyze Lord Rosebery’s test of greatness and its limitations.
Answer: Lord Rosebery's test defines greatness as a combination of extraordinary intellect and supreme administrative and practical power. Rosebery used Napoleon as the perfect example of this type of greatness, highlighting his brilliant strategies and administrative reforms. While Ambedkar respects this combination, he points out its severe limitations. He argues that intellect and power alone do not make a man great. If a highly intelligent and powerful leader lacks moral direction and social purpose, his actions can lead to destruction and suffering, as Napoleon's conquests did.
Q4: Why does Ambedkar reject military heroes from being called great men?
Answer: Ambedkar rejects military conquerors like Alexander, Caesar, and Tamerlane because their achievements are built entirely on physical force, violence, and temporary territorial expansion. Their victories may dazzle their contemporaries and change geographical maps, but they do not improve the moral, intellectual, or social condition of humanity. Once their conquests are viewed from a historical distance, their impact shrinks, proving they left no permanent, positive mark on the welfare or moral progress of mankind.
Q5: Explain the significance of a great man acting as the 'scourge and scavenger of society.'
Answer: This is one of Ambedkar's most powerful and original concepts. He argues that a great man cannot simply be a passive observer or a traditional ruler. He must be a 'scourge'—someone who actively fights against and punishes social injustices, inequalities, and bad traditions. He must also be a 'scavenger'—someone who has the courage and humility to clean up the moral filth, superstitions, and social evils of his society. This definition emphasizes that true greatness is always linked to active, difficult social reform.
Q6: How does a great man respond to a society in its hours of crisis?
Answer: According to Ambedkar, a great man is distinguished by his willingness and ability to serve his society in its 'hours of crisis.' When a community faces a severe social, moral, or political emergency, ordinary leaders may flee, panic, or look after their own safety. A great man, however, steps forward to provide clear vision, courage, and selfless leadership. He uses his intellect and influence to guide his people through the storm, sacrificing his personal comfort for the collective survival and progress of his society.
Q7: Why does Ambedkar believe that sincerity must be directed toward a social purpose?
Answer: Ambedkar believes that sincerity without a social purpose is incomplete and can even be dangerous. A person can be highly sincere in his personal beliefs but still support bad ideas, unequal systems, or harmful traditions. For example, a religious fanatic can be extremely sincere but still cause immense harm to society. Therefore, for sincerity to contribute to true greatness, it must be guided by a clear, positive social purpose that seeks to establish equality, justice, and liberty for all human beings.
Q8: Discuss the role of intellect in Ambedkar's definition of greatness.
Answer: Intellect is an important component of greatness because a leader must have the sharp mental capacity to understand complex social problems, draft solutions, and guide his people. However, Ambedkar warns that intellect without moral character and social purpose is empty. A highly intelligent man who uses his brain only for personal wealth, political power, or to maintain oppressive social structures is merely a clever individual, not a great man. Intellect must always be the servant of morality and social reform.
Q9: What is the moral warning that Ambedkar gives regarding 'hero worship'?
Answer: Ambedkar's warning is linked to Carlyle's views on hero worship. He cautions that blind devotion or uncritical admiration of a leader can be dangerous. People often mistake a clever, loud, or powerful politician for a great man without testing his sincerity and social purpose. This blind hero worship can lead to the rise of dictators who exploit the trust of the masses. Ambedkar insists that citizens must use critical reason and moral tests before calling anyone a great man, ensuring they do not follow insincere leaders.
Q10: How does this essay reflect Dr. Ambedkar’s own life and struggle?
Answer: This essay is a perfect reflection of Dr. Ambedkar’s own life. As a leader who fought against the oppressive caste system in India, he lived exactly like the 'scavenger' he described. He had the extraordinary intellect to study law and write the Constitution, but he chose to use his knowledge to clean up the social evils of untouchability and inequality. His deep sincerity and willingness to stand up for the marginalized during times of national crisis make him the perfect embodiment of his own definition of a great man.
Section C: 5 Long Answer Essay Questions & Outlines (Handwritten-Style)
Q1: Critically examine Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s definition of a 'Great Man' and discuss how his metric combines intellect, moral sincerity, and social service.
Equivalent Written Length: Handwritten Length Equivalent: 2.5-3 Pages (Approx. 440 words)
Structural Outline:
- Introduction: Introduce the speech extract, Ambedkar's purpose, and the inadequacy of traditional definitions of greatness.
- Critiquing Military and Intellectual Greatness: Discuss why conquerors and clever men fail the test of greatness.
- Carlyle's Test of Sincerity: Analyze his view of deep, quiet moral honesty as the first requirement.
- Rosebery's Test of Intellect and Power: Explain the administrative dimension of greatness.
- Ambedkar's Threefold Metric: Detail the combination of intellect, sincerity, and social purpose.
- The Scourge and Scavenger Concept: Explain his vision of the leader as a moral cleanser of society.
- Conclusion: Summarize his definition of greatness as an active, moral, and social force.
Model Essay Answer:
In his brilliant 1943 address 'Who can be called a Great Man,' Dr. B. R. Ambedkar presents a highly moral, critical, and socially grounded definition of human greatness. Rejecting the traditional view that greatness is defined by military conquests, political power, or pure intellectual dominance, Ambedkar argues that true greatness is a rare combination of three essential qualities: moral sincerity, intellectual capability, and a lifelong dedication to a progressive social purpose. For Ambedkar, a great man is not someone who merely stands above his fellow citizens, but someone who uses his superior talents to clean and elevate his society.
Ambedkar begins by dismissing the common admiration for military conquerors like Alexander, Caesar, or Tamerlane. He argues that their achievements are purely physical and temporary, leaving no permanent moral mark on the history of mankind. Similarly, he argues that being an 'eminent individual'—someone who is simply superior in talent or intelligence—does not make a person great. A clever politician or a wealthy businessman may be eminent, but their talents are focused entirely on personal success, whereas a great man's life must be dedicated to the public good.
To build his own metric of greatness, Ambedkar evaluates the criteria of other thinkers. He starts with Thomas Carlyle’s test of sincerity, agreeing that genuine, deep sincerity is the indispensable foundation of a great man’s character. Sincerity ensures that a leader is free from hypocrisy and is driven by an honest conviction. Next, he considers Lord Rosebery's test, which defines greatness as the combination of extraordinary intellect and supreme administrative power, as seen in Napoleon. While Ambedkar accepts that a leader must be highly intelligent to solve complex problems, he points out that intellect and sincerity alone are still not enough. If a sincere and intelligent leader lacks a moral direction, he can use his powers to defend bad causes or maintain oppressive social systems.
Therefore, Ambedkar proposes his own original, final test: a great man must have a clear social purpose. He must stand ready to serve his community in times of crisis. Most importantly, he must act as the 'scourge and scavenger of society.' As a scourge, he must actively fight against social injustices and bad traditions. As a scavenger, he must have the courage to clean up the moral filth, prejudices, and superstitions of his people. In conclusion, Ambedkar redefines greatness as an active, moral, and social force. A truly great man is an agent of progressive change who works tirelessly to establish equality, justice, and human dignity.
To provide comprehensive exam preparation, below are four additional major essay prompts along with their detailed structural outlines to help students write 2-3 page handwritten answers.
Essay 2: Compare and contrast Thomas Carlyle's test of sincerity with Lord Rosebery's test of intellect and power.
Structural Outline:
- Introduction: Define the intellectual context of the two traditional tests of greatness.
- Carlyle's Test: Analyze his focus on deep, moral sincerity and the danger of loud, shallow honesty.
- Rosebery's Test: Explain his focus on extraordinary intellect and supreme administrative power, using Napoleon as an example.
- The Clash of Ideas: Show how Carlyle values internal moral character while Rosebery values external capability.
- Ambedkar's Evaluation: Explain how Ambedkar finds both tests useful but incomplete on their own.
- Conclusion: Conclude that true greatness requires a synthesis of both moral sincerity and intellectual capability.
Essay 3: Explain the role of 'social purpose' and active social reform in Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s concept of greatness.
Structural Outline:
- Introduction: Define why Ambedkar adds the third test of 'social purpose' as a non-negotiable requirement.
- Sincerity Directed to Good: Show why sincerity is dangerous if it supports bad causes or inequality.
- Scourge of Injustice: Detail his view that a great man must actively fight against and destroy oppressive social structures.
- Scavenger of Prejudices: Describe the humility and courage needed to clean up the moral filth and superstitions of society.
- Service in Crisis: Explain how the leader's talents must be dedicated to collective survival and progress.
- Conclusion: Reiterate that for Ambedkar, greatness is defined by its contribution to human equality and social reform.
Essay 4: Why does Ambedkar reject military conquerors and purely eminent individuals from being called great men?
Structural Outline:
- Introduction: Introduce the common human tendency to worship conquerors and successful figures.
- The Illusion of Military Glory: Analyze why victories of Alexander, Caesar, or Tamerlane are physical and temporary.
- The Lack of Moral Mark: Show how conquests do not improve the moral or ethical condition of mankind.
- The Eminent Individual: Explain why superior intellect, wealth, or status is merely personal, not great.
- The Ethical Dimension: Emphasize that greatness requires a social focus and moral responsibility.
- Conclusion: Conclude that true greatness must be measured by the permanent, positive impact on human welfare.
Essay 5: Critically examine how Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s essay serves as a philosophical and political manifesto for modern democratic leadership.
Structural Outline:
- Introduction: Locate the essay in the context of India's pre-independence struggle and democratic future.
- Rejection of Dictatorship: Show how his critique of military heroes is a warning against autocratic power.
- The Danger of Blind Devotion: Analyze his warning against uncritical hero worship (Bhakti) in politics.
- The Standard of Sincerity: Discuss why democratic leaders must be tested for genuine, moral conviction.
- The Mandate of Social Reform: Explain why modern leaders must focus on cleaning up social inequalities and prejudices.
- Conclusion: Summarize the essay as a timeless guide for electing and evaluating responsible democratic leaders.