Name____________________________________________________________ Per.______
Chapter Six, Eurasian Social Hierarchies, 500
B
.
C
.
E
.
500 C.E. (pp. 242-246)
Class and Caste in India:
 India’s social organization shared certain broad features with that of China o Birth determined social status for most people o Little social mobility o Great inequalities characterized social life o Religious or cultural traditions defined these equalities o Organization, flavor & texture of ancient Indian society were distinctive

Unique aspects of Indian society embodied what we now call the caste system
Caste as Varna

The distinctive social system of classical India grew out of the interaction of many culturally different peoples on the South Asian peninsula with the development of economic & social differences among these peoples as the inequalities of “civilization”

500 BCE: Idea that society was divided into 4 ranked classes known as varna embedded in
Indian thinking o At top of system were the Brahmins (Priests) o Followed by Kshatriya class (warriors & rulers charged with protecting & governing society) o Next was the Vaisya Class (Originally commoners) o These three classes came to be regarded as pure Aryans and called “
Twice-Born
” o Below twice-born in the hierarchy were the Sudras (Native peoples incorporated into the margins of Aryan society and regarded as servants not allowed to repeat the Vedas)

Varna Theory - these 4 classes were formed from the body of the god Purusha & were eternal
& changeless

Historians have noted considerable social flux in ancient Indian history o Brahmin & Kshatriya groups were frequently in conflict over which ranked highest in the varna hierarchy o Both absorbed various tribal peoples as classical Indian civilization expanded o The Vaisya evolve into a business class while Sudra varna become the domain of peasant farmers

New category, ranking lower than Sudras emerged in the so-called untouchables o People who did the work considered most unclean & polluting

Caste as Jati

Another set of social distinctions arose deriving from specific occupations o These occupationally based groups known as Jatis blended with the varna system o Jatis became the primary cell of India’s social life o Each of these was associated with one of the great classes (varnas) o Brahmins were divided into many separate jatis or sub-castes

Each Jati was associated with a particular set of duties, rules, & obligations o Defined its members’ unique place in the larger society o Ex: Brahmins were forbidden to eat meat while Kshatriyas were permitted to do so
 Indian society was also unique in the set of ideas that justified that social system o Foremost was the notion of ritual purity & pollution applied to cate groups o High-caste people who came in contact with members of lower castes were in great danger of being polluted or made ritually unclean o Untouchables were forbidden to use the same wells or to enter the temples for highercaste people

Being born into a particular caste was generally regarded as reflecting the good or bad deeds
(karma) from a previous life o Individual’s own prior actions were responsible for his or her current status o Any hope for rebirth in a higher caste rested on the faithful & selfless performance of one’s present caste duties (dharma)

As caste restrictions tightened, it became difficult for individuals to raise their social status during their lifetime o By acquiring land or wealth, by adopting the behaviors of higher-caste groups, particular jati might slowly be redefined in a higher category
 India’s social system differed from that of China o Gave priority to religious status & ritual purity whereas China elevated political officials to the highest of elite positions o Caste system divided Indian society into vast numbers of distinct social groups o China had fewer, but broader categories of society o Indian’s cate society defined these social groups far more rigidly with even less opportunity
The Functions of Caste

Because caste (jati) was a very local phenomenon, it focused the loyalties of most people on a quite restricted territory & weakened the appeal or authority of larger all-Indian states o One reason that India seldom experienced an empire

Caste provided a substitute for the state as an integrative mechanism for Indian civilization

Jatis provided a modest measure of social security and support

Caste accommodating the migrating or invading peoples who entered the subcontinent o Structure of caste society allowed various peoples, culture, & traditions to find a place within a larger Indian civilization (process of assimilation)
 India’s caste system facilitated the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy and powerful