7
CASTE SYSTEM
CHARACTERISTICS, MERITS AND DEMERITS
Centuries old caste system preserved in Indian Society,
independent of government, enjoys open sanction; it even
overwhelms attempts to break down the caste rigidity.
UNIT-3
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, ALIGARH
DEPARTMENT OF LAW
TOPIC
CASTE SYSTEM: CHARACTERISTICS, MERITS ANDDEMERITS
PREPARED BY-:DR M.KALIMULLAH
FACULTY OF LAW,A.M.U.
SYNOPSIS
In Indian Society and ancient concept of primitive classes: Brahmanas, Kshtriyas,
Vaishyas, and Sudras developed into caste- system through thousands of years. With
complexity of the caste-system largely grounded in varied nature of work performed
by men/ a group gave rise to new castes and sub-castes which became hereditary as
well. The concept of higher and lower caste while depressed a section of society, it
encouraged ‘Untouchability’ and degradation of the caste –system. It also destroyed
societal harmony. As such it further affected the political freedom it is pity that one
cannot free himself from the hereditary bond of the caste system. Mention has to be
made that the attempts made to enlighten people are, however, in progress but not
yet complete.
To sum up, in the present scenario caste system is far greater injurious than its utility
in the advancement of our society .
INTRODUCTION
In modern times, there is a traditional view that due to the process of intermarriages
and subdivisions more than 3000 castes have evolved from the four principles
primitive classes: Brahman, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. It is an outcome of the
development of thousands of years, from the association of many different racial
groups in a single cultural system. The social structure of Indian society is
characterized by a unique social institution called caste. The Indian caste system is
a system of social stratification and social restriction in India in which communities
are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups called Jātis. The Jātis
were hypothetically and formally grouped by the Brahminical texts under the four
well known categories i.e., varnas: Brahmins, Vaishyas, Kshatriyas and Sudras.
Certain people like foreigners, nomads, forest tribes and the chandalas were
excluded altogether and treated as untouchables. The caste system which emerged
out of the Varna system as a form of social stratification is peculiar to India and is
an inseparable aspect of the Indian society.However, all ancient Indiansources make
a sharp distinction between the two terms: varna and jati. In modernusage the term
“caste” is applied indiscriminately to both the varna, and the jati. There is no
comparable institution elsewhere in the world for the caste system. Although
evidences of caste are to be found in many parts of the world, the most perfect
instance is that which exists in India. Attempts are being made to understand the
system in its entirety both by the Indian and Western scholars;hence caste system
offers interesting issues for debates and discussions.
NATURE OF CASTE
The word "caste" derived from the Latin word castus which means pure was loosely
used by the Portuguese to denote the Indian social classification as they thought that
the system was intended to preserve purity of blood. This term was first applied to
the Indian caste system by Garcia de Orta in 1563. The Sanskrit word for caste is
varna which means color. The prevailing caste system is such a peculiar and complex
one that no satisfactory definition is possible. However, some definitions are quoted;
below explain to an extent, nature of the caste.
Andre Beteille has to say that, "Caste may be defined as a small and named group
of persons characterized by endogamy, hereditary membership, and a specific style
of life which sometimes includes the pursuit by tradition of a particular occupation
and is usually associated with a more or less distinct ritual status in a hierarchical
system". With the rise of the priest class (Brahmanas), Kshtriyas (warrior class), and
the rest of the people: engaged trade and agriculture were called Vaishyas, and those
served these three classes and occupied the lowest position were called Sudras. This
is the historical order of the caste-system, distinctly based on division of labor. H.
Cooley has rightly remarked that when a particular professional classis somewhat
strictly hereditary, we may call it a caste. E. A. Gait has a similar observation on the
nature of caste-system. According to him, “caste is an endogamous group or
collection of such groups bearing a common name, having the same traditional
occupation claiming descent from the same source, and, commonly regarded as
forming a single homogeneous community.” S. V. Ketkar too, describes a caste as
group having two characteristics- 1. Membership is confined to those who are born
of members and include all persons so born. 2. The membership is forbidden by an
inexorable social law to men outside the group. The concept of the upper caste and
lower caste depressed a section of society. Certain castes came to be treated as
unclean and untouchable. for this degradation the caste- system itself is responsible
as much it is propagated by the Hindus themselves.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE – SYTEM
Segmental division of society: The caste system gives to the Hindu society a
segmentary character. The society is divided into various castes, the membership
of which is determined by the consideration of birth. The status of a person does
not depend on his wealth but on the traditional importance of the caste in which he
is born. The caste status is rigidly maintained throughout life and nobody can escape
from his caste identity, irrespective of his potentialities or capabilities.
1. Hierarchy: The caste system is hierarchical with a definite scheme of
precedence. The whole society is divided into distinct classes with a concept
of high and low. Thus Brahmans in India stand at the apex of the social ladder
while the Sudras occupied the lowest rank with manifold disabilities
2. Restrictions on food habits: Taboos are observed by the higher castes with
regard to cooking, vessels, food and commensality. They abstain from food
cooked by a member of a lower caste and also food cooked and served in
vessels which are considered impure. The Brahmans do not accept food or
water from any other castes or sub-castes or inter dine with them during
ceremonies and abstain from any kind of drinks and remain teetotalers.
3. Occupational restrictions: Traditionally, specific occupations are assigned
to each of the four castes. Members of any caste are not allowed to take to any
occupation which are degrading or impure.
4. Religious disabilities: There are many rituals which the lower castes are not
allowed to perform. They are also not allowed to study the sacred literature
and are not given prasadan (consecrated food) until and unless the high caste
members receive it.
5. Endogamy: A caste is an endogamous unit in that members of a caste must
marry only persons belonging to their caste in order to maintain the purity and
identity of the caste. The rule of endogamy is observed not only at the caste
level but also at the sub-caste and sub-sub-caste level.
6. Maintenance of social distance: untouchability and settlement pattern: A
social distance is maintained because of the fear among the higher castes of
pollution which results from proximity to or contact with the lower castes.
The untouchables are not allowed to use public roads or public wells, to enter
Hindu temples or to attend public school. Generally, the impure castes are
made to live in the outskirts of the city.
7. Concept of purity: The concept of purity is closely linked to caste and is
inherently obvious in the caste system. Opposite to the concept of purity is the
concept of pollution. Caste groups in the topmost rungs of the caste hierarchy
are `pure' while those at the bottom rungs are `impure'.
.
ORIGIN OF CASTE – SYSTEM
1. Racial Theory: This theory propounds that the caste system is based on the
original diversity of races. This theory has been propounded by Herbert
Risley, G.S.Ghurye and D.N.Majumdar. Risley feels that the Aryan element
in the Indian population is conspicuously responsible for the development of
the caste system. The Aryans who migrated to India already had a caste-like
structure corresponding to the four major castes in India, noted above. As
the Aryans came to India as invaders, they could not bring their women with
them and therefore married women from indigenous Indian society. But, at
the same time, they did not give their daughters in marriage to non-Aryans.
Thus, hypergamy and hypogamy practised by the Aryan invaders who
developed a social structure modeled on their native country gave rise to the
caste system in India.
Ghurye based his arguments on the Brahmanical system which, he feels,
developed in the Gangetic plains. He states that the Aryans who invaded India
subdued the non-Aryans and considered them as Sudras.
Majumdar is of the opinion that the Indo-Aryans used for certain groups and
orders of people the favorite word varna meaning color in order to maintain
their separate existence.
2. Political Theory: According to this theory, caste system is a device invented
by the Brahmans to place themselves in the highest rung of social hierarchy.
Ghurye states "Caste is a Brahmanic child of Indo-Aryan culture cradled in
the land of the Ganges and thence transferred to other parts of India". In the
Brahman period, the position of the Brahmans increased manifold. The three
lower castes are ordered to live according to the teaching of the Brahmans
who declare their duties and even the king is exhorted to regulate his conduct
accordingly. The pre-eminence of the Brahman secured him many social
privileges sanctioned by the law-givers.
3. Occupational or Functional Theory: According to this theory, the origin
of caste system can be found in the nature and quality of social work
performed by the various groups of people. In other words, occupational
specialization or economic functions of different groups have created the caste
system. The superiority or inferiority of the occupations is represented in the
hierarchy of castes.
4. Guild Theory: According to Denzil Ibbetson, castes are a modified form of
guilds. In his opinion, caste system is the product of interaction of three forces:
i. Tribes ii. Guilds and iii. Religion. The tribes adopted certain fixed
professions and assumed the form of guilds. In ancient India, priests had
greater prestige. They were a hereditary and endogamous group. The other
guilds also adopted the same practices and in due course became castes.
5. Religious Theory: Hocart and Senart are the two main advocates of the
religious theory. According to Hocart, social stratification originated on
account of religious principles and customs. In ancient India, religion had a
prominent place. The king was considered to be the image of God. The
priest kings accorded different positions to different functional groups. Senart
has tried to explain the origin of caste system on the basis of prohibitions
regarding sacramental food. He holds that on account of different family
duties there grew up certain prohibitions regarding sacramental food. The
followers of one particular deity considered themselves the descendants of
the same ancestor and offered a particularkind of food as offering to their
deity. Those who believed in the same deity considered themselves as
different from those who believed in some other deity. Each group
worshipping a particular deity gradually assumed caste status.
6. Evolutionary Theory: According to this theory, the caste system did not
originate all of a sudden or at a particular point of time. It is the result of a
long process of social evolution in which a number of factors played their part
in the development of the present caste system.
7. Mana Theory: J.H.Hutton feels that occupational classes existed even before
the Aryan invasion. Further, the indigenous tribal people had belief inmana or
the impersonal force in an object, contact with which could emanate
power. This belief in mana, says Hutton, could have been the forerunner for
the purity and pollution concept. The caste system originated by the
combination of the pre-Aryan social divisions and the tribal attitude towards
the force of mana.
MERITS OF CASTE – SYSTEM
1. Unity in diversity: The Indian caste system has preserved unity in diversity.
It has achieved a graded racial and cultural harmony in India.
2. Co-operation: The caste system has fostered the spirit of cooperation and
fellow-feeling among members of the same caste. By helping the poor and
needy, it has avoided the necessity of the state supporting the poor.
3. Economic security: By guaranteeing different types and fixed types of
occupations for every man and social group, the caste system has given
economic security and psychological security.
4. Defines economic pursuits: By defining occupations and distributing
economic pursuits between different groups, the caste system has ensured
for the provision of all functions necessary for life from the social, economic,
political, religious and other points of view.
5. Racial and ethnic purity: Through the enforcement of endogamy, the caste
system has contributed to the preservation of racial and ethnic purity. It has
also fostered the habits of cleanliness by insisting on ritual purity.
6. Cultural diffusion: The caste system has helped in cultural diffusion by
which the customs, beliefs, skills, behavior and trade are passed on from one
generation to another and further, from the upper castes to the lower castes
who have also gradually adopted some ritually clean and hygienic practices
as well.
7. Integration of the country: Because of the caste system, class consciousness
develops without breeding class struggle. It has created an
efficient organization of Hindu society without giving any chance to class
frictions and factions.
DEMERITS OF CASTE – SYSTEM
1. Mobility of labor: By restricting change of occupation, it denies mobility of
labor and consequently leads to stagnation. The higher castes cannot follow
a low occupation which may be lucrative, and the lower castes cannot follow
a higher and decent occupation.
2. Wrong occupation: An individual may not be skilled or interested in his caste
trade but may be talented and capable of some other pursuit which by caste
conventions may be prohibited. It thus leads to frustration and acts as a barrier
to optimum productivity.
3. Obstacle to societal harmony: Discontentment felt by the lower caste groups
at the behavior meted out to them in society is an obstacle to nationalunity as
it prevents the development of societal consciousness.
4. Inequality: The caste system denies equal rights to all irrespective of their
caste, creed or color. Deprivation of opportunities for mental and physical
development of the lower caste individuals erects social barriers. To meet this
challenge the Constitution of India has special provision for weaker society
5. Untouchability: The worst consequence of the caste system is the plight of
the `untouchables' who are shunned, despised and prevented from social
intercourse with higher caste groups. This situation yet prevails. Attempts
are in progress to enlighten others to treat untouchables as equals but the
process is not yet complete.
6. Promotes casteism: The members belonging to a caste carry caste feelings
and manifest blind and over-riding loyalty to their caste. This makes them
ignore the healthy social standards of justice, fair play, equity and
brotherhood. Under the influence of casteism, members of one caste do not
hesitate in harming the interests of members of other castes. Casteism,
therefore, spells autocracy instead of a system based on fraternity.
CHANGES IN CASTE – SYSTEM
The caste system has undergone many changes due to modern education,
industrialization, means of communication, new legal machinery provided by the
British government for punishing all castes in the same way for similar offences,
legalizing inter-caste marriages, political awakening, independence of India,
abolition of untouchability, democratic form of government, movements of social
emancipation, constitutional guarantees provided for the welfare of the backward
castes and ex-untouchable castes. During the initial days of British East India
Company's rules, caste privileges and customs were encouraged. However, the
British law courts disagreed with the discrimination against the lower castes. During
the British Raj, many Hindu reform movements such as Brahmo Samaj and Arya
Samaj renounced caste-based discrimination and preached a casteless society. The
restrictions on occupations have been relaxed and occupational mobility has become
very common. The inclusion of so-called untouchables into the mainstream was
argued for by many social reformers. Mahatma Gandhi called them "Harijans"
(people of God). However, the term Dalit ("downtrodden") is used now as the term
Harijan is largely felt patronizing. Gandhi's contribution toward the emancipation
of the untouchables is considered controversial by his contemporary Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar, an untouchable himself, who frequently saw his activities as detrimental
to the cause of upliftment of his people. ‘Untouchability’ is an evil, and the political
freedom has no meaning as long as this form of social inequality exists. It is pity
under the present conditions, the castes remain bound to hereditary folds and one
cannot free himself from its bonds.
EPILOGUE
Though changes are taking place in the caste system, it still plays an important role
in shaping the Indian societal structure. The system underwent fast changes due to
industrialization, urbanization, modernization, education, secularization etc., yet it
could neither be weakened nor destroyed and caste practices are still found to be
very rigid in the rural areas. Various social reformers have made attempts to stop
discrimination based on caste and because of their movements against this
discrimination, there has been an improvement in the status of the so-called
untouchables or harijans or dalits. It is pity that all attempts to break down the
caste rigidity have ended in failure right from the late medieval times. The reformers:
Basva, Ramanand, and Kabir tried in vain to abolish caste among their followers.
Sikh Gurus, too, did not overcome caste feeling. Even the Muslims for all their
equalitarian faith, formed caste groups. In Christianity, too, high caste converts held
themselves aloof from those of the lower order. In Indian society the caste-system is
preserved through centuries in spite of centuries of foreign domination; and the
institution of caste, independent of the government has its sanction. One has a strong
feeling that this necessary evil is a vital factor in the survival of Hinduism.
REFERENCES
1. B.N.Luniya, Evolution of Indian culture, Educational Publishers, Agra,
1951.
2. A.L.Basham, The Wonder that was India, Sidgwick Jackson,London.1954
3. N.N.GOSH, Early History of India, the Indian Press Private Ltd., Allahbad,
1972.
4. B.N.S.Yadav, Society and Culture in Northern India in the Twelfth Century,
Central Book Depot, Allahbad, 1973.
