Caste System in India

Question 1

The Caste system is…

Answer 1

a system of social stratification, that originates from the vedas (old texts) that are more then 300 years old and discribe basic social division

Question 2

Basic groups in the caste system

Answer 2

1. Brahmin - keepers of religious knowledge and ritual
2. Kshatriya - warriours, defenders
3. vaisya - landowners and merchants
4. sudra - farmers and labourers –> serve the upper classes

Question 3

Sudra

Answer 3

farmers and labourers –> serve the upper classes - term “untouchables” has been changed to Dalits - have and still face massive discrimination

are seen as “inpure” - the Brahim should not eat food cooked by them or “even cross their shadows”

Question 4

Caste based discrimination was banned in…

Answer 4

the 1950s
- but still persists

Question 5

The impact of Colonial rule on the caste system

Answer 5

The British overemphasized the caste system when trying to understand “their indian subjects” in the aftermath of the great rebellion in 1857-1859

Question 6

What is census and what methods did they use?

Answer 6

The British colonial state as an information gathering maschine
- the kind of information interesting for the british changed from merely economic considerations (land etc. - Guessstimation), to social information (hierarchies were interesting - becuase easier to exploit the people of lower social status that are not protected by their own community
-

Beginning of data gathering - on geography - method: Guessing - Guesstimation

Question 7

The great rebellion as a turning point for data gathering

Answer 7

The British were convinced that the Rebellion started because of cow/pig fat on the bullets –> religious reason –> lead to an eagerness to understand the religion and the social structures of the society better

Until 1857 it was important to know “Who runs the place” –> who do I need to make my partner - the rest is not interesting - policy of non-interference - tryed to “stir up” as little as possible

After the great Rebellion - emphasize on the caste -> categorizing every piece of information according to it and exacerbating it into THE most important social category