Page 25 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Social Stratification

Notes known work Homo Hierarchicus is, literally speaking, opposite of ‘Homo Acqualis’. In other words,
India is characterized by “hierarchy”, and France (or Europe) is seen by “equality”. For Dumont,
caste system represents a special type of inequality explained by ideas and values. The hallmark
of Dumont’s analysis of the caste system is the fundamental opposition between the pure and the
impure (binary opposition). However, the opposition is not absolute as the pure encompasses the
impure, and the two together would form organic links of the caste system.
Even before Dumont’s Homo Hierarchicus, C. Bougle defined caste system in terms of hierarchically
arranged hereditary groups, segregation and interdependence. In fact, in caste hierarchy,
discreteness, segregation, ordering and interdependence coexist as elements of the same theory
and practice. Thus, caste hierarchy has mutually entailed “principles” along with the principle of
opposition between the pure and the impure. But, then, the problem arises when Dumont calls it
(the pure and the impure divide) as “a single true principle”. This opposition, according to Dumont,
is a characteristic feature of men and women, food and clothes, occupations and division of
labour, etc. Now, the question is : To what extent, historically and even today, the principle of
opposition between the pure and the impure pervades Indian society ?
A clear exposition of the concept of hierarchy is given by Chris Smaje. Smaje refers to “ranking
hierarchies” and “encompassing hierarchies”. The first one implies where a universe of discourse
is completely divided into two or more non-overlapping classes as superior and inferior entities.
Thus, this becomes a “transitive hierarchization”. Broadly, such a schema applies to Euro-American
ideologies of racial hierarchy, and gender and class inequality. The second one implies that the
ranked units are coextensive with the universe of discourse; in other words, the superior entity
encompasses the inferior one. There is a sort of “unity” of the pure and the impure, for example,
this is so in India’s caste system. In a very different context, Karl Marx talked about “the unity of
opposites”, in the context of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat working together in industry,
though for different aims and pursuits. In the second context, complementariness or
contradiction is contained in a unity of superior order. Hence, it is necessary to define the level
of hierarchy at which it is situated.
Here, we may mention about C. Levi-Strauss’ idea of “dual organizations”, which has some
resemblance with Dumont’s analysis of hierarchy. The hierarchy of ranking roughly corresponds
with Levi-Strauss’ concept of “diametric” organization, and the notion of the encompassing
hierarchy is in tune with the idea of “concentric” organization of Levi-Strauss. Diametric structures
may evince equality insofar as their two elements are viewed as complementary, but remain
unequal. On the contrary, the concentric structures are always unequal because they are arranged
around, or emanate from, a superior central point. The question is : How relevant are the ideas or
frameworks given by Dumont and Levi-Strauss to understand and explain India’s hierarchy of
castes ? Smaje hints at the limitations of both the models, and talks of the “radial” model of caste
relations, which denies any single, central point of hierarchical preeminence. A “triadism” or a
third or a mediating element may be required to link the hierarchically arranged groups/units.
The “radial” model of caste refers to a multiple set of context - specific centre-periphery relations
or sacred-profane dichotomy.
Thus, Dumont stands out as an exponent of the concept of hierarchy. Dumont writes : “A
hierarchical relation is a relation between larger and smaller, or more precisely between that
which encompasses and that which is encompassed.” This is what Smaje calls “concentric
hierarchies”. The encompassing and the encompassed bear both complementariness and opposition
under the principle of caste hierarchy. Pure and impure remain static as the basis on which this
dichotomy exists/persists on a permanent basis.
T.N. Madan has praised Dumont for making most profound and important contributions to the
study of Indian society. He has clarity of thought, erudity of scholarship and lucidity in writing.
Madan writes : “Homo Hierarchicus is an unusual work in its conception, design and execution”.

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