CASTE SYSTEM

AND
IT’S MERITS
WHAT IS A CASTE SYSTEM?
 A caste system is a type of social
structure which divides people on
the basis of inherited social status.
 Within a caste system, people are
rigidly expected to marry and
interact with people of the same
social class.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
SYSTEM
 The tendency toward endogamy,
meaning that people marry within
the same caste exclusively.
 Rare caste mobility.
 Higher castes traditionally hold all of
the political power, and the castes
may be divided further through
language, culture, and economics.
 Within a caste
system, each
member generally
knows his or her
place, and your
social status is
usually apparent to
others as well.
HISTORY OF CASTE SYSTEM IN
INDIA
 The division of the society was on
the basis of different jobs assigned
to different people.
 According to the ancient
Hindu scriptures, there are four “
varnas”.
 Manusmriti and some other shastras
mention four varnas: the Brahmins
(teachers, scholars and priests), the
Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), the
Vaishyas (traders), and Shudras
(agriculturists, service providers,
and some artisan groups).
 Brahman-Priest Kshatriya-ruler,
warrior, landowner

Vaishya-merchants Shudra-artisans
 Within each of these categories are
the actual "castes" or jatis within
which people are born, marry, and
die.
 They all have their own place
among each other and accept that it
is the way to keep society from
disintegrating to chaos.
BRAHMAN -PRIEST
 Brahman is the
class of educators,
scholars and
preachers.
 It occupies the
highest position
among the
four varnas of
Brahminical
Hinduism.
Kshatriya-ruler, warrior, landowner

 Right below the

Brahmans.
 Important to the
community
because they
have main role in
administration
and production.
VAISHYA-MERCHANTS
 Shopkeeper and
Businessmen.
 Mainly
contribute to the
economical
section of the
society.
SHUDRA - ARTISANS,
AGRICULTURALISTS
 Within the caste
of Shudra there
are many
different groups.
Each one of
these groups
performs a
service.
HARIJAN-"OUTSIDE" THE
CASTE SYSTEM
 Part of what used
to be known as
the
untouchables.
 Their jobs involve
doing most of the
cleaning, or what
we might call
"dirty work."
BRITISH RULE AND CASTE
SYSTEM
 With the arrival of Britishers the
fluidity of the caste system
constitute a rigid description of the
occupation or the social status of a
group.
 British policies of divide and rule
took the help from existing caste
system and made the discrimination
more prominant.
 They saw caste as
an indicator of
occupation, social
standing, and
intellectual ability.
 The British
attempted to equate
the Indian caste
system with their
class system.
MERITS OF CASTE SYSTEM
 A well-defined system of mutual
interdependence through a division
of labour created security within a
community.
 The division of labour on the basis
of ethnicity allowed immigrants and
foreigners to quickly integrate into
their own caste niches.
 Allowed manufacturers to achieve
narrow specialisation.
 Would instill in its members a sense
of group accomplishment and
cultural pride. Such sentiments are
routinely expressed by the Marathas
, Rajputs, Iyers and Jats for
instance.
 Equality existed within the caste.
 The caste system played an
influential role in shaping economic
activities.
 The caste system prevailing in the
society led to the professional
legacy, this led to refined quality of
work as vocational education began
at a very early stage.
 The presence of different caste is
what gives India the treasure of
diverse cultures and traditions.
 This has led to the variety in all
aspects of life be it religious
beliefs, languages, eating habits
or habits of recreation we see
great diversity.
 Easier to maintain law and order
because it was based on religious
belief and people were God fearing.
 Since the Indian society was
governed by the caste system,
there was no racial discrimination.
 It is the way to keep society from
disintegrating into chaos.
 The caste system served as an
important instrument of order in a
society where mutual consent
rather than compulsion ruled.