Since the diversifying and unification of America, each of its citizens -born and migrated- has enjoyed the freedom of accession into different economic and social classes. Before this freedom was given, other systems of the social classes were implemented in various countries setting the example of inequality, which has therefore inspired the freedoms that American’s enjoy. As apprentices of life, one has studied the periods in history where these systems of social classes lie. The most common one that is studied is the Feudal system where little room for accession is made, but there was another system tin existence in India. This system was known as the Caste System. Today we are going to explore how the caste system works, how it is related to Hinduism and its similarities and differences to the feudal system,
First, to understand what the caste system is, we need to know what caste means. Caste is derived from the polish word “casta” which means race (History of the Caste System). Although it was called a race, it actually is a birthright in an immovable hierarchal system. In the caste system one is born into one of the four varnas or class orders (How the Caste system is broken down). The four varnas are the Brahmin [Bra-min], priests and teachers, the Kshatryia [Kshot-ree-ya], warriors and kings, the Vaishya [Vy-sy-ya], merchants and landowners and the Sudra [sue-da-rah] which are the commoners, servants and peasants (The Hindu Caste System). For those who do not fit into any of these categories they are known as the untouchables. The untouchables are the people who do the dirty work, literally, like street sweeper or toilet cleaners (The Caste System). This system was constructed to organized society based on economic and ...
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Dictionary.com defines a caste system as “a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion” This means someone born into a low caste cannot move up to a higher caste because of this system. Although a caste system is not a set of laws, it is almost never broken because the caste system has been in place for so long.
The Caste system is a basic social structure, the top of the list is the Brahmans, Brahmans are made up of priests and scholars of Vedic literature, and is the most appreciated cast. Next on the list is Kshatriyas, the Kshatriyas are the warrior and served for ruler and royal families and they rank right below Brahmans. Next there are the Vaishyas, The main jobs that Vaishyas were: Being Traders, Cattle Farmers, Minor officials, and Merchants, and owned businesses, and had farm land these are regular/average people in the caste system. After that we have the Sudras, the main jobs the Sudras do are: Being workers, Servant, and Self Farmers these are the bottom of the caste system. And Last you have the
The traditional Hindu caste system remains one of the most controversial and debatable topics in the study of Hindu culture. The Hindu caste system describes the system of social stratification and social restrictions in which social classes are defined by specific hereditary groups. This caste system impacts much of Hindu history, society and culture to a level unknown anywhere else. However, the most apparent problem with this system is that under its strict rigidity, the lower castes were prevented from endeavoring to climb higher, and as such, economic progress was limited. It’s my assertion that a rigid system of structural inequality maintained through strict enforcement and social exclusion, is incompatible with a religion which claims to promote inclusion, peace and unity.
The caste system is a type of social inequality that exists mainly in the Indian Sub-continent, which was said to have been introduced by the Aryans, who categorised the different kinds of people as Brahmins (Nobles), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (Merchants), sudras (servants) and the untouchables who were not allowed to mingle with the other higher sections of the society or to do the work other than those which were ...
Hinduism is a religion in which the caste system exits to this day and this is an important factor because the different levels of the caste system represents each member’s ability to reaching the ultimate reality, Brahman. There are four castes of Hinduism: Brahmins/Seers, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and the Shudra. “The first group India called Brahmins or seers (Smith, 43).” The Brahmins are traditionally priests and scholars who should receive respect. The second level of caste system are the Kshatriya, who are traditionally warriors and rulers; they should receive power. Next are the Vaishya’s, merchants and small class landowners who should receive wealth. Last are the Shudra’s, traditionally the landless and field workers who should receive freedom. The caste system has its limitations and because of that, only the Brahmin (being on the top of the caste system) can become one with the ultimate reality, Brahman. In order to fulfill the core doctrine of Hinduism, it is important to be aware that only certain members “qualify” to unite with Brahman. In order for one to become a Brahman, they must go start from the bottom of the caste level and through the different levels until finally they are born as a Brahmin through good
The caste system was developed during the Vedic Period. The Vedas dictated these levels of the social structure through which the priests informed the public of their place in society. Society is primarily divided into four groups- the Brahmans, or priests; the Kshatriyas, or soldiers; the vaisyas, who are merchants and farmers; and the sudras, who are the servants to the high caste members. The fifth group, who are considered to not be human are known as the Untouchables. The caste system is based on the idea that your prarabadha karma, the karma from your previous lives that you cannot change, determines your place in society when you are reborn. Those who have very good karma are reborn as upper caste and those with bad karma are reborn into the lower caste, or as untouchables.
According to, Sociology: The Essentials, caste system is defined as a system of stratification (characterized by low social mobility) in which one’s place in the stratification system is determined by birth. This is also acknowledged as an ascribed status. “This system in found in the traditional Hindu population of India” (Haviland 256). Although it is found in other parts of the world,
At first appearance, the Hindu class structure and the social laws pertaining to religious rights based on one's class seem to be prejudicial, demeaning and exclusive to the point of abuse. The lowest Varna, the Shudra, is not even allowed to hear or study the Vedas based solely on their inescapable station in life as servants to the higher three classes. However, when one looks at their class system from a purely religious standpoint, you discover that the class system is not abusive in itself, and that the abuse that may take place comes from aspects of humanity outside their religious practices.
The current manifestations of the caste system are now far more generalized across the Indian subcontinent than was the case in former times. Caste as we now recognize has been endangered, shaped and perpetuated by comparatively recent political and social developments. This is evident even i...
For example the lowest class of caste system is the Shudras, as Rigveda described, they were emerged from the feet of Brahma, mostly consisted of workers and peasants, Shudras were forbidden to touch people of upper classes and their jobs were considered the dirtiest and most disliked. There’s basically no social mobility for Shudras which means if a person was born a Shudra, he is very likely to spend his whole life being his role and interacting with people of the same class. The same goes peasants during medieval Europe. Adalberon, the bishop of Laon described peasants as an “unfortunate group possesses nothing without suffering”, indeed, they were require to work very hard on the lands that do not belong to them and most of their agricultural production would be taken away by their
Owing to India’s diversity, these identities are determined by caste, ancestry, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation and geographic location, and play an important role in determining the social position of an individual (Anne, Callahan & Kang, 2011). Within this diversity, certain identities are privileged over others, due to social hierarchies and inequalities, whose roots are more than a thousand years old. These inequalities have marginalized groups and communities which is evident from their meagre participation in politics, access to health and education services and
The caste system of India assigns individuals a certain hierarchical status as per the Hindu beliefs. The word ‘Dalit’ comes from the sanskrit word ‘Dal’ which means broken, oppressed, downtrodden. Dalit were previously known as Untouchables, Harijans and depressed classes, Dalit refers to one’s caste rather than class, it refers to those people who were born as Untouchable because of their extreme impurity connected with their traditional jobs. They are outcasted from the four categories of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra classes and are physically, socially excluded from the rest of the society. In India alone, there are around 167 Dalit as per the 2001 census.
The four main stages of life in Hinduism also take the caste system into account. The first stage is that of a student, being led by a teacher. T...
Divided into four major social categories, the caste system categorizes Hindus, who act accordingly to their caste, into Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Sudra. Another class, the “untouchables,” is considered outside of the system. These five different classes of society define each person greatly. Castes are unchangeable and rarely intermarry. This social division is yet another example of how religion disbands organizations of people.
In each society, there are different types of rules and ideologies that are used in order to help govern its people. Within these communities, these rules create a social hierarchy developed through a ranked system based on either economic value or religious beliefs. A type of ranked system that most people are familiar with is the Caste System in India, which is a system of classification in a society based on birth. This complex social structure is most prevalent in India, where social hierarchy is in affiliation with Hinduism. It recognizes two concepts known as Varna and Jati. Varna is a word in Sanskrit meaning color and includes four main groups: the Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The fifth group, the most segregated caste in the system, is the Untouchables. Within each Varna contains an array of sub-caste called Jatis, which are also based on birth. The rules of the cases are governed through religious ideas of purity and pollution. These two socially constructed ideologies determine whether or not you were respected in the community. Caste assignments in India are predestined at birth rather than a personal choice. Individuals act and dress like those of their own caste in public, due to strict caste laws. Pressures of these rules tend to brainwash people into conforming into what society considers pure, as we’ll see in Kakar & Kakar’s reading. As human nature takes precedent, caste rules become less relevant. Indulging in one’s own desires or needs, especially during times of hardship, outweighs any types of rules that we’ll see in Freeman’s reading and the movie Distant Thunder. Though the caste system is such an intrinsic part of life, when faced with needs to survive, it becomes nothing more than just a...