CASTE

A COLLECTION OF FAMILIES OR GROUP OF FAMILIES:

1 BEARING A COMMON NAME.

2 CLAIMING A COMMON DESCENT, HUMAN OR DEVINE.

3 PROFFESING TO FOLLOW THE SAME HERIDITARY CALLING.

4 REGARDED BY THOSE WHO ARE COMPITENT TO GIVE AN OPINION AS FORMING A SINGLE HOMOGENEOUS COMMUNITY.

CASTE SYSTEM

• A caste system is a type of social structure which divides people on the basis of inherited castes.

• The two ELEMENTS ARE :

1 ENDOGAMY

2 NO CHANGE OF PROFESSION

ORIGIN

THE EXACT ORIGIN OF CASTE SYSTEM CANNOT BE TRACED THE SYSTEM IS SAID TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN INDIA.

THE VARIOUS THEORIES REGARDING THE ORIGIN OF CASTE SYSTEM ARE:

1. RACIAL THEORY

2. POLITICAL THEORY

3. OCCUPATIONAL THEORY

4. TRADITIONAL THEORY

MERITS OF CASTE SYSTEM

THE VERY FACT THAT THE CASTE SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 2000 YEARS.

THE MERITS OF THE SYSTEM ARE:

1. AN INDIVIDUAL’S CASTE CONTROLS HIS BEHAVIOUR AND CONTACTS.

2. THERE IS A SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION AND FELLOW-FEELING AMONG MEMBERS OF SAME CASTE.

3. IT DEFINES THE ECONOMIC PURSUITS OF AN INDIVIDUAL.

4. IT DIVIDED SOCIETY PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CULTURAL UNITS PREVENTING COUNTRY TO SPLIT INTO RACIAL UNITS.

5. THE CASTE CUSTOMS ,BELIEFS, SKILL, BEHAVIOUR, THE TRADE SECRETS, ARE PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

6. IT PROVIDES FUNCTIONS NECESSARY FOR SOCIAL LIFE – “FUNCTIONS RANGING FROM EDUCATION TO SCAVENGING”.

7. AN INDIVIDUALS VIEWS ON SOCIAL AND POLITICAL MATTERS ARE INFLUENCED BY THE CASTE AS A WHOLE.

DEMERITS OF CASTE SYSTEM

• THE SYSTEM HAS GIVEN RISE TO SEVERAL EVILS:

1. DENIES MOBILITY OF LABOUR.

2. IT LEADS TO UNTOUCHABILITY. LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE REDUCED TO STATE OF VIRTUAL SLAVERY.

3. IT HAS LED TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF HINDU SOCIETY AND WEAKENED IT.

4. OFTEN RESULTS IN PUTTING A MAN IN WRONG OCCUPATION.

5. OBSTACLE TO NATIONAL UNITY.

6. OBSTACLE TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS OF THE NATION.

7. THE SYSTEM IS UNDEMOCRATIC AS IT DENIES EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL.

8. THE SYSTEM CREATES THE FEELING OF CASTISM.

CONCLUSION

ON THE PERUSAL OF COMPARATIVE MERITS AND DEMERITS OF CASTE SYSTEM IT MAY BE CONCLUDED THAT THE DEMERITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE MERITS.

ALTHOUGH CASTE SYSTEM PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE AT A CERTAIN AGE OF INDIAN HISTORY BY SUPPLYING THE SOCIAL FOUNDATION TO THE VILLAge community SYSTEM IT HAS LOST ITS UTILITY IN MODERN INDIA.

UNTIL THE CASTE BARRIERS ARE BROKEN NO EFFORTS TAKEN WILL BE FORTHCOMING AND THE SOCIETY WILL ULTIMATELY SUFFER.