The caste system in India is a social hierarchy that divides society into groups determining one's occupation and spiritual purity based on birth. Placement in the social hierarchy is determined by one's parents' caste, and people cannot change their caste during their lifetime. It is based on the Hindu belief that righteous living leads to reincarnation into a higher caste, while wicked living leads to a lower caste. At the bottom of the system are the "untouchables" who are completely ostracized from society and can only perform the most menial jobs.

1. The Caste System
India

2. 2
Caste System
• The word caste is derived from
the Portuguese casta meaning
lineage, breed, or race.
• The caste system is a social
hierarchy in which society is
divided into groups. These
groups determine what labor
you can do and your level of
spiritual purity.

3. 3
Caste System
• Placement in this social
hierarchy is based upon one’s
birth. Essentially, you fell into
the same caste as your
parents.
• People cannot move up or
down to different castes or
levels in their lifetime.
• It was believed that your
righteous life and good karma
brought about reincarnation to
a higher caste and a wicked
life sent you lower in the caste
system.
BRAHMINBRAHMIN
VAISHYAVAISHYA
KSHATRIYAKSHATRIYA
SUDRASUDRA
??????????

4. 4
Caste System
• The system is based upon the assumption that all people are not
created equal and is practiced today throughout Asia (e.g. India, Sri
Lanka) and Africa (Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria).

5. 5
Origins of the Caste System
• The Indian caste system is rooted in the religion of Hinduism.
• It was also utilized by Aryan invaders four to five thousand years
ago to enforce social control in India.
• It is still a powerful influence of Indian life today in shaping
economics, politics and culture.

6. 6
Caste System - Levels
• Brahmins
– These are the priests, scholars, and philosophers who teach and
study.

7. 7
Caste System - Levels
• Kshatriyas
– These are the warriors, rulers, and
those concerned with defense and
administration of the village or state.

8. 8
Caste System - Levels
• Vaishyas
– These are the traders, merchants and people involved in
agricultural production.

9. 9
Caste System - Levels
• Sudras
– These are the peasants and
common folk who make up
the laborers and servants
for the other castes.

10. 10
Caste System – In Practice
• It defined a person’s social
universe
– Enforced restrictions on inter-
marriage
• It defined a person’s standard of
conduct
– Each caste had it’s own set of rules

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Caste System – In Practice
• It defined a person’s expectations
– Determined what kinds of foods one may eat
• It defined a person’s future
– Determined specific job or vocational roles

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Caste System – In Practice
• Because of the law of Karma, people do not resist the caste system.
• They believe they are there because of their actions in previous
lives.
• This encourages the individual to fulfill his role or duty of his or her
caste, because their position in the next life is sure to improve.
• If you did something outside your caste, you could be
excommunicated from your caste. That would cut you off from doing
any work to support yourself because you could only do the jobs
allowed by your caste.

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Caste System – Another Level
• The “Untouchables”
– These are a group of people who had no caste at all. They are
outcast from the rest of Indian society.
BRAHMINBRAHMIN
VAISHYAVAISHYA
KSHATRIYAKSHATRIYA
SUDRASUDRA
““UNTOUCHABLES”UNTOUCHABLES”

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Caste System – Another Level
• The “Untouchables”
– The untouchables were also
made Unseeable,
Unapproachable and
Unhearable. They live
separately from caste Hindus
in slums. These slums are
rarely recognized as formal
settlements by the government
and so lack basic services like
education, health, water
hygiene, and no legal means
of forcing the government to
take action.
B. Lietzke

15. 15
Caste System – Another Level
• The “Untouchables”
– These people had no surname, could not choose their children’s
names and could not enter a Hindu temple.
– They perform the most menial of jobs, such as dealing with dead
bodies and cleaning toilets and sewage by hand. This “work” is
attributed to the lowest of the low.

16. 16
Caste System – Another Level
Navsarjan
“Untouchables”