SOCIAL STRATIFICATIONTHE CASTE SYSTEM

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL

REFRAIN IN ALL IDEOLOGIESPAST AND PRESENT, BUT.. NATURAL DIFFERENCES.SEX, AGE, COLOUR, PHYSIQUE, KINSHIP, ETC., SOCIAL DIFFERENTIATIONSOCIALLY UNEQUAL STATUS, POWER, WEALTH, OCCUPATION ETC.,

UNEQUALITYRECOGNISED THRU AGES

PLATO IN THE REPUBLIC (400 BC) You are brothers, yet God has framed you differently. Some of you have the power of command, and in the composition of these he has mingled gold;. Have greatest honour; others he has made of silver, to be auxiliaries; others again who are to be husbandmen and craftsmen he has composed of brass and iron; and the species will be generally preserved in the children

INDIAN CASTE SYSTEMBACKGROUND

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD..ARYA & DASA BY END OF RIGVEDIC PERIOD, THE DIVISION IN SOCIETY INTO FOUR CLASSES REGARDED AS FUNDAMENTAL AND DIVINELY ORDAINED? ORIGIN? ARYAN THREE CLASS DIVISIONS?

ORIGIN OF DIVISIONS IN INDIA

WIDELY AGREED ..SOCIAL DIVISIONS WERE NOT HERIDITORY ONLY FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONS VARNASHRAMA DHARMA- DHARMA, IS GENERAL NORM OF CONDUCT TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL BUT THERE IS DHARMA SPECIFIC TO EACH CLASS AND EACH STAGE OF MANS LIFE

THE SYSTEM
STRENGTH-- SECURITY & PROTECTION TO THE LOWEST OF THE LOW BUT, INEQUALITY & EXPLOITATION HOW SURVIVED OVER AGES? SYSTEM RELATED TO RELIGION? OR ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC SECURITY TO THE BULK OF POPULATION

THE SYSTEM
SECURITY AGAINST COMPETITION CLASSES FORBIDDEN FROM INTERFERING IN OTHERS ACTIVITIES CONFINE TO RESPECTIVE FIELD FOLLOW DHARMA APPROPRIATE TO YOUR CLASS STABILITY & CONTINUITY DUE TO ASSURANCE THAT NO ONE WILL BE FORCED TO DESTITUTION

DEVIATION FROM DHARMA

PRIVILEGED CLASSES DEVELOP VESTED INTERESTS PRINCIPLE OF NOT DENYING TO CAESAR WHAT BELONGED TO CAESAR, GIVEN UP CLAIMS OF PRIVILEGED CLASSES THAT UPPER STATUS ORDAINED, WENT UNCHALLENGED

DEVIATION FROM DHARMA

WEAKENING OF CREATIVE AND SPIRITUAL FORCES SHELL REMAINED WITHOUT LIFE & MEANING INEQUITIES AND INJUSTICES MULTIPLIED UNDESERVING GOT MORE DESERVING DENIED ON GROUNDS OF LOW COST

CHARACTERISTICS
TRANSFORMATION OVER A PERIOD NOT STATIC BIRTH DETERMINES NO ELEVATION ENDOGAMOUS EXCLUSIVENESSALL ROUND CONCEPT OF DOMINANT CASTE CONCEPT OF PURITY

BREAKING THE RIGIDITY.

SANSKRITISATION FLUIDITY IN POLITICAL SYSTEM (BRITISH TIMES) INTER-CASTE MARRIAGES LITERACY/EDUCATION WESTERNISATION URBANISATION CONSTITUTION OF INDIA ..BUT FRESH LEASE DUE TO POLITICS OF CASTE

SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
LIFE CYCLE BIRTH, BETROTHEL, MARRIAGE AND DEATHRITUALS. ROLE FOR CASTE BRAHMIN EXOGAMY OCCUPATIONAL INTER-DEPENDENCE JAJMANI SYSTEM-EXCHANGE OF SERVICES CASTE ASSOCIATIONS

SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
CASTE ASSOCIATIONS RESERVATIONS DOMINANT CASTE-RULES/MAINTAINS VILLAGE VILLAGES IDENTIFIED WITH DOMINANT CASTE BEARING ON ECONOMIC LIFE..TRADITIONAL OCCUPTIONS IDENTIFIED WITH CASTE

CASTE AND ECONOMIC LIFE

CASTE PRESCRIBED OCCUPATIONS ADVENT OF BRITISHNEW OPPORTUNITIES LOWER CASTES INTO ECONOMIC RIVALRY CHANGING VILLAGE STRUCTURE DUE TO SHIFTING OF POLITICAL POWER SEARCH FOR REMUNERATIONMIGRATION

CASTE AND POLITICS

PRE-BRITISH DAYSLOW CASTE KEPT AWAY FROM POLITICS & POWER BRITISH LAWS INITIATED CHANGE ACCESS TO EDUCATION DEMOCRACY & DECENTRALISATION ADULT SUFFRAGE CASTE GROUPS AS POLITICAL RESOURCES PERPETUATION?

 CASTELESS SOCIETY A DISTANT DREAM?