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Caste system ppt
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- 2. 2 Caste System • Theword 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 • Placementin 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 • Thesystem 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 theCaste 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
- 11. 11 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
- 12. 12 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.
- 13. 13 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”
- 14. 14 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”