The Traditional Hindu Caste System

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The traditional Hindu caste system is arguably the world’s oldest surviving social hierarchy in the world. The Indian caste system combines both the Dravidian Indians Jati system as well as the Aryan social class system. In a traditional Hindu caste society, the assignment of individuals to places in the social hierarchy is determined by birth—with the child acquiring the social status of their parents. In the traditional caste system, one cannot change one's caste by choice; there was no mobility between classes. As a Westerner with a keen interest in sociology, I question how a religion that promotes inclusion, peace and unity can essentially discriminate against and oppress individuals simply based on birth. Although social classifications exists in all human societies, it’s problematic when these distinctions become the sole basis for social ranking and unequal access to opportunities such as wealth, power and prestige. Caste Structure and Characteristics The caste system originated as a Hindu system of social classification. A person remains in the same caste from birth until death and caste is handed down from generation to generation. These divisions in status are traditionally justified by the religious doctrine of karma, a belief that status in life is determined by one’s deeds in previous lifetimes. Further, the caste was set in a hierarchy, each with a different duty/dharma. This more over 2,000 year old system is composed of four primary castes. The Brahmin caste (priests or scholarly caste) is assigned the highest status of the four varnas, but also must abide by the strictest rules. Brahmin duty entailed studying and performing the Vedic rituals to maintain the cosmic order as a whole. As such, they were required... ... middle of paper ... ... Westerner to support such a divergent and seemingly unfair belief system. Conclusion 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.

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