Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Caste System
Caste System
gave
to
Occupational stratification. Such occupational
stratification was
favoured by religion. Slowly and gradually the
different occupations became hereditary for different tribes ana
restriction in social intercourse between different tribes became
rigid. This process finally gave birth to the form of caste
system.n
There is a view according to which 'caste system had its orign
the classes and corporations. In ancient India, there
were
three
natural groups, namely, priesthood, nobility and bourgeoisie. These
groups were in turn split into a number of smaller groups and
communities some based on relationship, others based on
occupation.
occupation'. Thus, the origin of the caste happened from the
economical guilds. However, occupation is a factor in the evolution
of castes but not the cause of its origin.
It is clear that there is no unanimous view about the origin of
caste system. However, Indian caste system is the natural result to
the interaction of a number of geographical, social, political,
religious and economic factors not elsewhere found in conjunction.
erits or
Demerits or Di
Disadvantages or Dysfunctions or Effects
of Caste System
The caste system has given rise to several evils. They are
1) The caste sysiem ieads to untouchability. It is the
hateful expression of caste. Large sections of people are
reduced to the virtual slavery. As long as untouchability
is practised, no solidarity of Hindu society is possible as
they were made to live in seclusion and they were
deprived of the meagre necessities of life. They are
actually made to rot in life. The caste system is like a
bad coin.
(2) The rigid caste system led to social immobility and
occupational mobility. It deprives him from doing a job of
his choice. Irrespective of one's likes and dislikes, one
has to continue only his traditional hereditary
occupation. This situation is a hindrance for economic
development.
(3) The caste system retarded the growth of solidarity and
brotherhood in the Hindu society by rigidly separating
one class from another and denying any type of social
intercourse between them.
(4) The caste system often results in putting a man in the
wrong occupation. The caste in which one is born always
decides one's position in life or his occupation. He is not
permitted to take up any other profession though he may
possess the skill and may like that job. The caste has
given an aristocracy to birth, not of merit.
(5) The caste systemis always an obstacle to national unity.
According to G.S. Ghurye, "It is the spirit of caste
patriotism which endangers opposition to other castes
and creates an unhealthy atmosphere for the growth of
national consciousness."
(6) The caste system is a great obstacle to the social and
economie progress of nation. Since people believe in the
theory of karma, they become conservative in their ideas.
And because their economic position is fixed they are led
to inertia and enterprise.
(7) Caste system is also undemocratic because it does not
give equal rights and opportunities to all people
irrespective of their caste, creed or colour.
FOR LAW STUDENTS
sOCIOLOGY -
Il (INDIAN SOCIETY)
234
and demerits of c a s t e
of comparative merits
On the pursuance that the demerits of casteism
ism
concluded
be safely
system, it may
outweigh the merits.
India
The Jajmani System in
unit in the Indian
basic and important
The village has been a characteristics of a traditional
of the basie
social organisation. One system', In
socio-economic organisationin a village is the jajmani
services are provided by different
the village different types of take one profession,
In villages, people of a particular caste
people.
the jajmani system. Wiser was the
The caste system is linked with
as jajmani system.
first m a n who labeled the system
Definition
is an exchange of services and
Wiser says, "Jajmani system
castes". As per Wiser, "Jajmani
obligations between different
relationships reveals that the priest,
system in the service
grower, etc. are the jajmani of
accountant, goldsmith, vegetable
has a form of service capacity and
other castes. Each of these castes
master and a servant".
services to others. Each in turn is
of distribution
Kolenda defined jajmani system as "a system
families called
in Indian villages whereby high caste land-owning
various lower castes
jajmans are provided services and products by
washermen".
such as carpenters, potters, blacksmiths and
from
According to Varma, the word jajman' has been derived
a Sanskrit term yajman', which means a man who performed
who performs a
yajna-a sacred rite. Yajman means a person
term yajman
yajna or hires the service of a Brahmin to do it. The
came to be applied to everyone who lured services of a person, who
or Pundit who
was prepared to offer those services. The purohit
would become a
prays to God for the prosperity of his yajman
permanent family priest and this turned int6 a hereditary process.
The Jajmani-system has its roots in the customary sacred relgious
performance of the attached family priest for the welfare of his
jajman. The other functional castes like barber, potter, goldsmith,
carpenter and washerman who have also helped in yajna followed
suit and adopted a similar pattern of hereditary service. The samne
pattern of labour supply came to be a practice even in the agrarian
structure and a few more castes that were useful for the
agriculturist came into being with jajmani rights and duties. Thus,
the jajmani relationship has acquired implications concerned more
with the economy than
religion.
The economic power is the basis of jajmani system. The