Structures of systemic oppression thrive on exclusionary spaces and limiting means to individual independence. Within the caste system, the culture constraints of belonging to a certain strata extend from beyond the household and immediate society, to impact the composition of the nation’s economy and financial sector.
For the Dalit community, entrepreneurship has historically been limited to artisan trades and manufacturing of household goods like pottery, brooms, etc. Business that is labour intensive, poorly scalable, and is socially inferior or even stigmatized has been the permissible extent of entrepreneurship for Dalits. Post-Independence, with the implementation of reservation and other affirmative action initiatives, the state has actively encouraged Dalit entrepreneurship, but like most other systemic issues in the country, the policy stances don't percolate to grassroot reality.
The issues faced by the sector of Dalit entrepreneurship can be broadly classified into skill based issues (which pertain to education, access to market entities, and business acumen), and social/systemic issues which are issues that are connected to the Dalit identity itself, and need social restructuring to be addressed in a meaningful manner.
According to a 2015 study done by North Maharashtra University (a state which holds a considerable percentage of the nation's Dalit entrepreneurs), there is a hesitancy within the Dalit community to launch their own enterprises. Stigma, historical trauma, and sociological conditions are such insurmountable deterrents that very few Dalit persons even bother to venture into business. They do not wish to gamble their limited savings in experimenting with a business venture. Many prefer to have the security of government or service sector jobs with a steady income. Basic education still continues to be inaccessible despite government initiatives.
Dalits entrepreneurs face hurdles in leveraging working capital through loans because they often have insufficient collateral to post as security. The paperwork and process for applying for loans is tedious and intimidating. Additionally, due to the philosophies of Ambedkar which influence the perception of empowerment for the Dalit community, capitalism is criticized through the Marxist lens which Ambedkar espoused.
The social hurdles to Dalit entrpreneurship have been recorded throughout accounts of Dalit history. Stigma associated with the caste system deters the Savarna middlemen from engaging with Dalit businesses. This is magnified by the perception that Dalit people have of themselves of being inherently inferior (a result of millenia of oppression). Many do not wish to branch out of their historic trade practices. And those that do branch out find it nearly impossible to disclose their identity while maintaining a clientele.
The recent scholarship on Dalit entrepreneurship focuses heavily on the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DICCI) and its work to promote Dalit entrepreneurship. The body was instituted in 2005 and says that it's raison d'etre is that Dalit people "Be Job Givers - Not Job Seekers". The organization helps Dalit entrepreneurs become empowered and reach their potential through training programs, providing access to funding, facilitate state initiatives, and is an umbrella organization that works as a nodal network for all Dalit businesses in the country. The organization is led by a committee of Dalit entrepreneurs who have amassed considerable wealth and resources which they employ to encourage others.
DICCI has faced considerable ire from civil society activists for its pro-government stance. The way the organisation models itself is identical to its more well-known counterpart FICCI. DICCI's policies are staunchly aligned with the economic policies of the state at large, and the focus remains on bringing Dalit entrepreneurs into the same fold of the economy as Savarna entrepreneurs, rather than establishing an indigenous economic system. Additionally, DICCI has been criticised for not addressing Dalit causes directly and has rather presumed that the interests of Dalit entrepreneurs are synonymous with those of the Dalit masses. Globalisation has not solved the problems of access and awareness - rather it has moulded itself to coexist (and further cement) systemic issues.