Page 137 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Social Structure and Social Change

Notes organizational and the structural approaches of Hutton, etc., consider caste as a unique system found
in India alone. The difference between the two (organizational and structural) approaches is that
when the former concentrates on the origin of the caste system, the latter focuses its attention on the
development and the processes of change in the structure of the caste system. The institutional approach
of scholars like Kroeber, Risley, etc. does not view the caste system as relevant only to India; they find
it in ancient Egypt, medieval Europe and present southern United States, etc. The relational approach
finds caste situations in army, business management, factory, and so forth and views the presence or
absence of the caste system in a society as related to the presence or absence of mobility in the groups.
If mobility is normal, we do not find the caste system, but if it is barred, we find the caste system.
The sociological perspective views the caste system in terms of social stratification in a society, and as
a phenomenon of social inequality. According to it, society has certain structural aspects and it
distributes its members in social positions. The interaction is the basis of social structures, and types
of interaction along with associated norms categorize social structures.
Though we have referred here to three different perspectives in the study of the caste system but this
does not mean that sociologists are not interested in the origin and the development of the caste
system as Indologists and social anthropologists are, or that the social anthropologists do not accept
caste as a phenomenon resultant of social stratification as the sociologists do. Both sociologists and
social anthropologists study the external (relations of one caste with other castes) and internal aspects
(relations with members in the same caste) of the caste system and the state of affairs as a result of the
existence of the (caste) system through time. Before taking up the sociological analysis
of various facets of the caste system, and its origin, it is necessary to understand the concept of caste.
6.1 What is the Caste System?

The caste system in India can be described as an elaborately stratified social hierarchy distinguishing
India’s social structure from any other nation. Its history is multifaceted and complex. Caste is a
term, which is used to specify a group of people having a specific social rank and dates back to 1200
BCE. The Indian term for caste is jati, and generally designates a group that can vary in size from a
handful to many thousands. There are thousands of jatis each with its own rules and customs. The
various jatis are traditionally arranged in hierarchical order and fit into one of the four basic varnas
the (Sanskrit word for “colors”).
The varna of Brahmans, commonly identified with priests and the learned class
• The varna of Kshatriyas, associated with rulers and warriors including property owners.
• The varna of Vaishyas, associated with commercial livelihoods (i.e. traders)
• The varna of Shudras, the servile laborers The Untouchables occupy a place that is not clearly
defined by boundaries and is outside of the varna scheme. Their jobs (such as toilet cleaning
and garbage removal) cause them to be considered impure and thus “untouchable.” Historically
the untouchables were not allowed in temples and many other public places. In 1950 legislation
was passed to prevent any form of discrimination towards the untouchables. Although legislation
has affected the status of the people, they are yet very much a visible part of Indian society.
Religious Background

The earliest expressions of caste can be found in one of India’s vast bodies of religious scripture
known as the Vedas which are though to have been complied between 1500 and 1000 BCE, although
the time of their composition is under debate. They were transmitted orally for many generations
before being written down. Therefore, centuries may have passed before they were ever committed
to writing.
These works are considered the source of ancient Indian wisdom. The first of the four basic Vedic
books is the Rig Veda; a collection of over 1,000 hymns containing the basic mythology of the Aryan
gods. The Rig Veda contains one of the most famous sections in ancient Indian literature in which the
first man created, Purusa, is sacrificed in order to give rise to the four varnas.

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