A Disappearing Institution, An Invention, or an Ongoing Aspect?

Caste System:
A Disappearing Institution, An Invention, or an Ongoing Aspect?
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Caste System:
A Disappearing Institution, An Invention, or an Ongoing Aspect?
Introduction
The caste system is perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of the history of human civilization. Indeed, both a picture of power and exploitation, it showed man`s capabilities at his best, and at his worst. The caste system is a complex and elaborate structure that involves a series of societal factors of stratification, especially including social class, hierarchy, power, hereditary transmission, and even endogamy CITATION Coh87 \l 1033 (Cohn, 1987). In its most basic sense, the caste system involves, but is not limited to, the societal hierarchies that dictate a person`s standing in the society based on lineage, race, social status, and several other factors CITATION Dir89 \l 1033 (Dirks N. , The invention of caste: civil society in colonial India, 1989). Another author added that caste is a type of closed social stratification where the person`s membership to the different strata or hierarchies is determined by his/her birth, where a child is automatically a member of the caste to which his parents belong CITATION Hav10 \l 1033 (Haviland, 2010).
Caste in itself involves different kinds or forms, and one geographical area may have one form of caste system that is different to that in other continents or regions. For example, in China, the caste system involves the division of the society into four classes based on social status (i.e. nobles and commoners), while in the Arabian Peninsula, people were divided according to their occupation or area of settlement (i.e. nomads and villagers). However one of the most widespread examples of the caste system is that of South Asia, specifically India. In the Indian Caste system, individuals were stratified according to their birth, wherein priests occupied the highest levels as Brahmins, followed by the warriors (Kshatriyas), the entrepreneurs or men of commerce (Vaishyas), and by the workmen or the Shudras CITATION Bai63 \l 1033 (Bailey, 1963). This system of stratification in India is among those most controversial and most well-studied.
Although religion has sometimes been pointed to as a reason for the existence of caste, especially in the case of India, several other factors come into play CITATION Ger72 \l 1033 (Berreman G. D., 1972). Because of these various factors, a question has risen over the years regarding the continued existence of the caste system in today`s society, and even regarding its actual existence in the past. In fact, this question may be viewed based on the fact that the caste system was viewed, in the earlier days of the society, as a form of tradition that had to be upheld.
In relation, this paper would then look into these raised issues and questions. More specifically, this paper would attempt to answer the question: "Is Caste a disappearing institution, a colonial invention, or an on-going aspect of South Asian social and economic systems?" Since the caste system is a broad topic for exploration, this paper will focus on the Caste System of South Asia, specifically India. This paper will first look into the idea that the caste system is a disappearing institution, by drawing out different literatures on the subject. Afterwards, the arguments supporting the idea that the caste system is a colonial invention will be presented. Finally, this paper will discuss the concept that the caste system may be an ongoing aspect of South Asian social and economic systems. Indeed, this paper will attempt to prove that although historians and anthropologists may claim that the caste system is disappearing or is a colonial invention, it is in all actuality still an ongoing aspect of South Asian social and economic systems.
Caste System as a Disappearing Institution
The idea that the caste system is a disappearing institution can be seen as something that stemmed from the negative human rights connotations of the existence of social stratifications. Human rights advocates have long looked at the caste system with scorn, especially with the advent of the Western ideals of equality, fraternity, and freedom. Indeed, especially after the efforts of the different European and American countries to overthrow social stratification through the ousting of nobles in high positions, social classes and hierarchies have been viewed as a total abuse of a person`s rights as an individual CITATION Hoc50 \l 1033 (Hocart, 1950). This is especially in view of the fact that the Caste system emerged as a product and mechanism of the evolution of the society that required specialization and the division of labour.
In the case of the Indian Caste System, this has worked very much in delineating the nobles, the holy men of the society, and the other members of the community into their specific roles and functions CITATION McK76 \l 1033 (McKim & Inden, 1976). Especially when one relates the Caste system to religion, India`s caste can be seen as very effective because of the support provided to it by religion, specifically Hinduism. Indeed, the highest members of the Indian Caste System included the priests or holy men of the society. This affinity with the religious of the dictators of the caste system can be traced to the fact that Religion (Hinduism) dictated strongly the way by which South Asians lived (Dirks, 1987). The teachings of Hinduism in fact almost outlined the South Asian`s life, beginning in the morning where the day should begin with prayer, until the evening where another moment for devotion is demanded (Dirks, 1990). Therefore, it is of little wonder that as part of religion, the Caste system pervaded the whole history of India.
However, with the advent of globalization and modernization, the issues related to the caste system, especially those involving human rights and equality have been brought to light. With the opening of South Asia to the world, as well as with the influx of science and technology to the Indian community, the demands on specializations and labour also changed CITATION Gou89 \l 1033 (Gough, 1989). Indeed, since farming was the main source of income for the earlier societies of India, labourers were most commonly confined into roles related to agriculture. Nevertheless, with the arrival of science and technology through globalization and modernization, the roles demanded from labourers changed and the "power" and authority previously awarded to the members of the higher castes shifted as well.
In addition, with the coming of modernization, the roles and functions of the different levels of the caste system changed little by little, although not entirely. The roles of the spiritual man, as dictated by religion, changed as more religions were introduced to India, especially including Christianity. The teachings of Hinduism were either influenced or overridden by the principles of Christianity, and what once supported the existence of the caste system grew weaker. Indeed, according to Berreman (1971), Vedic scholars have perpetuated for centuries the idea that according to the scriptures, people must stay away from impure individuals who were unclean and of low birth, lest they risk the wrath of the gods. In fact, Vedic scholars based their classifications of individuals according to the person`s lineage and birth, and they claimed that the people in the lowest ranks should be avoided, or they can expect divine retribution.
Therefore, with the opening of South Asia to the rest of the world, more modern ideas and other religions began to permeate the society and changes began to be seen. However, it should be understood that these changes were not immediate but were rather gradual. Indeed, it took hundreds of years before India`s modern society came to its current standing. As an example, around the Mauryan period (300 B.C.), although there were still four main varnas or societal divisions, numerous different castes were created within the different varnas. Some of these include artisans, shepherds, husbandmen, and others CITATION Bur78 \l 1033 (Burghart, 1978).
Another example for the changes the caste system underwent is during the British rule, especially during the first census in 1987, the varnas were followed as means of classification. This is a practice that continued until later years, when activists voiced their opposition to the injustices of the caste system CITATION BRA04 \l 1033 (Ambedkar, 2004). Thus, in recent years, it can be seen that the caste system has begun to disappear as a structure of the society. However, as much as it is beginning to disappear, it can be observed in contemporary India that the caste system is still a part of the modern Indian society. Still, this issue on the continued existence of the caste system will be explored further in later sections of this paper.
In relation, education is another factor that brought changes to the caste system. In the earlier days of the Caste system, the Brahmins were most able to maintain their positions by keeping the lower members of the castes ignorant, both of knowledge about the world, and of the teachings of the Vedic scriptures. Because of the authority and privilege brought about by the priests` knowledge of the scriptures, they were able to manipulate ideas and principles to their advantage. Mines (2005) even added that because they were believed to be the only members of the society knowledgeable of the scriptures, their words are equal to the words of the gods. Therefore, when they manipulated their teaching sin such a way that a person`s purity and impurity was based on his/her birth or lineage, the other members of the society readily followed for fear of divine punishment.
Conversely, with the introduction of more western schools of thought into the Indian education, as well as with the introduction of more liberal ideals, privileges that were only previously awarded to higher castes were provided to the lower ones. Again, these changes were gradual and were met with criticisms and opposition. Ironically, though, the occupation of the British on Indian territories reinforced the Caste system, even including the "whites" as members of the higher levels of the caste system. Still, with the ending of colonialism and imperialism, the modern ideals of the conquering nations were left on the conquered Indian societies. These ideals, in addition to new ones circulating around the globe, affected the education now received by the Indian communities, which ultimately affected the influence as well as the pervasiveness of the caste system. Indeed, based on the authors and ideas presented, it can be seen that the caste system is a disappearing institution. However, other authors think otherwise and even claim that the caste system was a colonial invention, not a creation of the British conquerors. This issue will then be explored on the succeeding section of this paper.
Caste System as a Colonial Invention
Indeed, the history of communities which showed traces of the caste system hint at the existence of the caste system even before the invasion of the imperialists. For the case of India, Dirks (2001) described that the caste system of the South Asian Indians can be traced to even the earliest socio-political systems of its early settlements. For example, according to the said author, a caste system has already been established by the natives of India`s medieval kingdoms, even before the worldwide trade routes brought conquerors into this Asian land. Indeed, the four Varnas were already in existence among the Indian communities even before the advent of imperialism and colonisation.
However, Dirks (2001) somehow also contradicted his claim on the colonial invention of the caste system when he discussed that the British are the ones responsible for the caste system`s current state in the Indian society. This author cited the personality of the British Raj, in addition to the widespread British census, as mong the elements that most cemented the state of the caste...