Page 112 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes 6. Importance of Wealth: Today the importance of wealth has increased and due to it the
status of the person determined. The person gets much dowry, his status increases. It is not
so only, but even the status of the dowry giver also increases.
7. Costly Education: Today, one has to spend a lot of money for higher education for which
the groom side demands much dowry. Sometimes, even the loan for education is repaid
from the dowry money.
8. Show-off and False Status: To show-off ones status and pump, people give and take high
dowry.
9. Growth of Dynamism: Today the means of transport is developed and progressed, urbani-
sation and industrialisation has increased, as a result the dynamism of a caste and sub-caste
has increased and their members has spread to far places. Due to this, it became difficult to
search groom in ones own caste. As a result, the dowry system has encouraged.
10. Social Custom: The popularity of dowry in the society is found in the form of a social cus-
tom. A person who gives dowry for his daughter also wants to get dowry for his son.
11. Vicious Circle: Dowry is a vicious circle, the persons who had given dowry for their daugh-
ter, they also wants dowry for their son on the occasion of his marriage. In this way, by get-
ting dowry for their son they keep it safe for the marriage of their daughter.

Narrate the reasons of dowry.

Evil Effects of Dowry System
As a result of dowry system many problems have emerged in the society, some of them are as
following-
1. Killing of Daughters: Many people kill their daughters just after their birth due to dowry
system. This is mostly popular in Rajasthan, but today this custom is generally abolished.
2. Disintegration of Family: On giving fewer dowries, the bride has to face a lot of atrocities
in her husband’s home. Tension and struggle arose in both the families and the happy mar-
ried life of husband-wife is routed up.
3. Murder and Suicide: The girls not provided with much dowry, they are not get suitable
respect in their husband’s home; they are teased in many ways. To get rid of such situation
some of the girls commit suicide. In lack of dowry, many girls are not married even so late
which leads to their social insult; in this situation also the girl commits suicide sometimes.
When the quantity of dowry doesn’t meets to the expectation then sometimes the daugh-
ter-in-law is burnt alive or she is murdered. 2,912 in 1987, 4,148 in 1990 and 5,157 in 1991
matters of dowry death are registered. 1,160 in 1983 and 15,949 in 1991 matters of cruelty
of husband and his family members has been registered. The maximum matters of dowry
death are registered in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
4. Debt Obligation: Parents of a daughter have to take debt for giving dowry or they have
to mortgage their property or gold or even have to sell them, as a result the family gets
indebted. Due to high rate of interest the repayment of the debt is difficult. If more number
of girls is there the economic condition becomes worst.
5. Low Living Status: For saving money for the dowry of girls, the family has to cut down
there needs. The living status of the family declines in order to save money.
6. Polygyny: To get dowry a person marries many times which leads to polygyny.

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