Caste System
Origins of the Caste System
 Scholars differ on origins, but agree that it is an ancient
institution
 Historical Origins:
 Complexion and occupations of the Aryans who invaded India around
1500 B.C.
 Varna (“color”): differences in skin tone between darker indigenous
peoples and fairer Aryans
Origins of the Caste System
 Religious sanction:
 Traditional Hindu view: humans were divided on the basis of their
intrinsic qualities
 Rig Veda: mythical origins from the ritual sacrifice of the primeval male,
Purusha:

Brahmins came from his face/mouth
 Kshatriyas from his arms
 Vaisyas from his thighs
 Sudras from the soles of his feet
 References in the ancient epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata
 Detailed description in the “Laws of Manu” (700 C.E.)
The Caste System
 Four distinct classes:
 Brahmin: priests
 Kshatriya: warriors and administrators
 Vaisya (“The People”): Producers: farmers, merchants, artisans
 Sudra: servants and laborers
The Caste System
 Subdivided into over 3,000 categories
 Correspond to different occupations for men
 For women, caste determines who they can marry
 “Outcastes”: considered outside of society; includes the
“Untouchables,” who only recently have gotten some legal
rights
 Based on heredity; determined by karma
The Four Castes
Brahmin
Kshatriya
The Four Castes
Vaishya
Shudra
Justification for the Caste System
 Age when antiseptics and antibiotics didn’t exist
 Practical to have one group do the dangerous work of carting away carcasses
and making leather from animal hides
 Theory that the “untouchable” caste developed immunities over
generations
 Other castes had to avoid them purely for health reasons
 Caste evolved to serve the same purposes that workers’ guilds served
in medieval times, and unions are supposed to serve today:
 Protected workers from unfair competition
 Preserved the knowledge of each community
 Still, many Hindus today feel that it is morally and ethically without
any justification
Caste System Over Time
 Attempts of other religions (including Buddhism, Christianity
& Judaism) to eradicate the caste system did not succeed
 Industrial Revolution and urbanization : brought possibility of
social mobility
 Centuries later, it was adopted by the British rulers in India
 The British later passed laws designed to aid the lower castes
 Could not find a lasting solution since they saw themselves as a
privileged ruling class
 Constitution of India (1949): guarantees the right of all citizens
to justice, liberty, equality, and dignity
The Caste System Today
 Dalits: 18-20% of India’s population
 Christian population of India: 3%
 Christians who are Dalits: 50%
 Marriage across caste lines is still taboo for some families
 India’s rapid economic expansion and booming high-tech
sector is chipping away at the reservation of well-paying jobs
for some and menial jobs for others
 Hiring of thousands of workers for high-tech firms
 International companies hire on the basis of merit
 Number of Dalit entrepreneurs has increased w/ the advent of a
market economy
The Caste System Today
 Economists describe “two Indias” – one rich and one poor.
India’s caste system can no longer fully contain the
socioeconomic change the country is undergoing. Different
religions, occupations, and levels of education are no longer
correlated with caste
 Limited access to education and resources is still a problem for
some Dalits, although missionary schools and governmentsponsored education have helped