Casteism an introduction

1. Casteism
UNIT 1.3

2. The word, „caste‟ is of Spanish and Portuguese origin. The term, „caste‟
originated from the Spanish word „casta‟, meaning „lineage‟ or „race‟ or „a group
having hereditary quality‟.
It is derived from the Latin word „Castus‟, which means pure.
The Spaniards were the first to use it, but its Indian application is from the
Portuguese, who had so applied it in the middle of the fifteenth century.
The current spelling of the word is after the French word „Caste‟, which appears in
1740 in the academies, and is hardly found before 1800.
Before that time it was spelt as „cast‟. In the sense of race or breed of man it was
used as early as 1555 AD.
The Spanish word „Casta‟ was applied to the mixed breed between Europeans,
Indians (American) and Negroes. But „caste‟ was not used in its Indian sense till
the 17th century.
The Indian use is the leading one now, and it has influenced all other uses.

3. Caste can be defined as. hereditary endogamous group, having a common name,
common traditional occupation, common culture, relatively rigid in matters of
mobility, distinctiveness of status and forming a single homogeneous
community
However, in the changing situation caste has adapted too many new features like
having formal organizations, becoming less rigid and having a link with politics.
Thus we may list from the above the following features of caste system.
1. Hereditary in nature: It implies that caste system is based on heredity. It is based
on ascribed values rather than achieved qualities.
2. Segmental division of society: It means Indian social stratification is largely
based on caste. There are various castes having a well-developed life style of their
own. The membership of a caste is determined by birth. Thus caste is hereditary in
nature.
3. Hierarchy: It indicates various castes according to their purity and impurity of
occupations are ranked from higher to lower positions. It is like a ladder where pure
caste is ranked on the top and impure is ranked at the bottom.

4. For example the occupation of Brahmin is that of performing rituals and teaching.
It is considered to be the purest occupation; hence they are placed at the top of the
hierarchy. On the other hand sweeper, whose occupation is cleaning and
scavenging, is placed at the bottom the bottom of the hierarchy because of impure
occupation.
4. Restrictions on food, drink and smoking: Usually different castes do not
exchange food and drink, and do not share smoking of hukka among them. For
instance, Brahmins do not take food from any other caste. It is a complicated
process. For example in Uttar Pradesh, among Kanyakubj Brahmins, there are
many sub-divisions. Each sub-division does not take food from other sub-division.
There are two types of food: „pucca” (food prepared in ghee like puri, kachodi and
pulao) and kuchcha (food prepared in water like rice, pulses and vegetable
curries). Some castes exchange only pucca food among themselves. Invariably, the
high caste does not take anything from the low caste. The same principle is applied
to smoking.
5. Endogamy: It indicates members of the caste have to marry within their own
caste only. Inter-castes marriages are prohibited. However, among educated
people, particularly in the urban areas, inter-castes marriages are gradually

5. 6. Purity and pollution: It is one of the important features of the caste system.
Purity and pollution are judged in terms of deeds, occupation, language, dress
patterns, as well as food habits. For example liquor consumption, consuming non-
vegetarian food, eating left-over food of the high castes, working in occupations
like leather craft, lifting dead animals, sweeping and carrying garbage etc. are
supposed to be impure. However, in recent times some high caste people are today
doing all the above jobs, like working in a shoe-shop, shoe-factory, cutting hair in a
beauty parlour etc.
7. Occupational association: Each caste has a specific occupation and cannot
change the occupation. For instance, Brahmins do priesthood and teaching,
Kayasthas maintain revenue records and writing. Baniyas are engaged in business
and Chamars are engaged in leatherwork, etc. With new job opportunities available
due to industrialization and urbanization some people have shifted from their
traditional occupation. However, in rural areas traditional occupations are still
followed. Such cases are also found in urban areas like a barber has a hair-cutting
saloon where he cuts hair in the morning and evening simultaneously works as
peon in some office.

6. 8. Social and religious disabilities and privileges of a few sections: The lower
caste are debarred from doing many things like they are not permitted to enter the
temple, do not use literally language and can not use gold ornaments or umbrella
etc. However, thing have changed considerably, these restrictions are hardly found
today.
Casteism: Characteristics and Causes
Casteism
The Indian social system is caste-bound. Though the forms of caste oppression have
undergone changes, the content of caste domination, subordination, oppression and
exploitation remains the same.
A number of castes are placed in subordination and superordination to each other in
relation to the status of Brahmins. Stratification based on caste system not simply
implies division of labour in Hindu society but this pattern of division in Hindu
society solidified its base and members of a particular caste identified themselves
only with their own caste.

7. Thus narrow caste loyalties developed the feeling of superiority / inferiority
among the members of a particular caste and simultaneously undermined the
interests of other castes and ultimately led to the ignorance of human values
and social welfare.
This partial or extreme one-sided loyalty may be termed as casteism.
Casteism has led to many problems in Hindu society and has become a major threat
to national integration because of its divisive tendencies.
According to N. Prasad, ‘Casteism is the loyalty to the caste translated into
politics.’
K. M. Pannikar holds, ‘Casteism is the loyalty to the subcaste translated into
political.
This is unavoidable as long as the conception of subcaste exists, for that is the one
permanent loyalty that the Hindu has inherited.
In fact, no organization of society on the basis of equality is possible so long as the
subcaste exists.’
Kaka Kalelkar considers casteism ‘an overriding, blind and supreme group loyalty
that ignores the healthy social standards of justice, fair play, equity and universal
brotherhood

8. Characteristics of casteism
The following characteristics may be deduced from the definitions cited above:
Casteism is the extreme caste or subcaste loyalty in the most irrational form. It
completely undermines the interests of other caste or subcaste groups.
Casteism ignores human values and social welfare.
Casteism acquires a new lease of life through the provisions of constitutional
safeguard to the deprived sections of the population.
Casteism contrasts with the aim of bringing about a casteless society. Hence, it is
anti-democratic.
Casteism is contrary to the spirit of our Constitution.
Casteism adversely affects the outcome of elections.
Casteism hinders the process of national integration.

9. Causes of casteism
There are multiple causes of casteism:
The feeling of caste prestige: The feeling of superiority / inferiority by the
members of a caste over the rest may be construed as an important cause of
casteism. The Hindu society is divided into many castes on the basis of
superordination and subordination.
The members of any caste want to enhance the prestige of their own caste group.
Therefore, they endeavour to stabilize the Aposition of their own caste, which
ultimately results in casteism.
Connubium: The practice of caste endogamy, which proclaims that a person can
marry only within her/his caste, has been responsible for the emergence of the
feeling of casteism. By restricting the circle of marriage to one’s own caste,
people have developed different degrees of social distance within and outside
their own caste.

10. Lack of scientific worldview: Though science and technology have advanced
in India, we have not been able to develop scientific worldview in our practices.
A nation becomes stronger based on its scientific and technological outlook, not
on the basis of superstition, orthodoxy and obscurantism propagated by
casteism.
Lack of urbanization: Urbanization, and to a lesser extent industrialization,
emerged in colonial India.
Even after India’s independence, the mode of production hardly changed.
The ruling class in India has used casteism for its political mileage.
The sluggish pace of industrialization has resulted in the continuity of caste
feeling in the Indian psyche.

11. Casteism: Consequences and Remedial Measures
Consequences of casteism
The consequences of casteism in Indian society include (but not restricted to):
Hinders the unity of nation: Since in casteism people are guided by the vested
and narrow interests of their own caste group, they lose sight of the broader
interest of the nation.
When interests of various caste groups clash, it takes a violent form of caste
conflict which ultimately hinders social progress and national unity.
Acts against the spirit of democracy: Democracy presupposes equality. It cross-
cuts the barriers of caste, class or any other forms of inequality. Democracy also
promotes universal education to create awareness against caste or class
consciousness. But casteism is fundamentally opposed to democratic principles.
In this regard, Pannikar holds that democracy and caste are totally opposed. The
former is based on equality and the other on inequality of birth. The former is
based on the principles of social inclusion, the other social exclusion.
Democracy attempts to break the barriers of class and caste whereas casteism
strengthens caste hierarchy and class differentiation. Hence, casteism and
democracy cannot exist together.

12. Promotes corruption in public life: Excessive loyalty and blind support of one’s
own caste impels the members of a caste who occupy important position to maintain
the superiority and guide interests of their own caste group.
In the process, they want to promote the welfare of their own castes and without any
reason, blindly favour the members of their own castes. This ultimately causes
corruption and nepotism in social life.
Hinders economic progress: Owing to casteism, a nation does not make progress in
terms of economy, culture and polity.
Prevalence of caste feelings does not make a nation more inclusive. Casteism
obstructs economic development, social progress, cultural assimilation and political
tolerance.
Remedial Measures
Proper knowledge about caste: Casteism is the product of conservative and
unscientific outlook. People affected by such outlook do not tolerate reason and
hence are engaged in practising casteism.
If proper frame of education can be provided to them, they may be able to
understand the unscientific foundations of the emergence of caste/s and the evil
effects of casteism may be checked.

13. Encouragement of inter-caste marriages: Restriction on marriages and the
practice of endogamy cause social distances between the castes and does not
promote the spirit of inclusiveness.
In order to overcome that barrier, inter-caste marriages should be promoted.
Inter-caste marriages would herald a new beginning by putting an end to the
practice of inferiority / superiority because of the closer type of social interaction
and inter-mixing among different caste and sub-caste groups.
Removal of socioe-conomic and politico-cultural inequality:
Socio-economic and politico-cultural inequality between different caste groups
and sub-caste groups has been the main cause for creating wide social, economic,
political and cultural differences.
The removal of these differences would lead to the placing of all caste groups and
sub-caste groups in the same socio-cultural footing.

14. Suggestions of social scientists
G. S. Ghurye: The evil effects of casteism can be removed by only through inter-
caste marriages.
Irawati Karve: Economic and cultural differences breed casteism and the removal
of these differences and economic disparities will enable us to remove the caste
system and casteism.
P. H. Prabhu: The internal thought processes of people are to be influenced so that
they will not follow blindly the dictates of caste.
Education will play a major role in changing the attitudes and opinions of people
regarding caste.
M. N. Srinivas: Adult franchise, five-year plans, spread of education, development
of backward castes and backward classes will remove the ill-effects of caste system.