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Caste System

The document discusses the caste system in India. It defines the caste system as dividing society based on inherited social status, with strict rules around marriage and social interaction. The four main castes are Brahmins (priests/scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers/warriors), Vaishyas (merchants), and Shudras (laborers). The caste system provided order, specialized labor, and cultural identity, though it also created social inequalities and rigid hierarchies.

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Hardutt Purohit
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2K views21 pages

Caste System

The document discusses the caste system in India. It defines the caste system as dividing society based on inherited social status, with strict rules around marriage and social interaction. The four main castes are Brahmins (priests/scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers/warriors), Vaishyas (merchants), and Shudras (laborers). The caste system provided order, specialized labor, and cultural identity, though it also created social inequalities and rigid hierarchies.

Uploaded by

Hardutt Purohit
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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.

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