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The millennia-old Indian caste system was a form of social stratification that divided society into different groups and influenced crucial decisions such as career paths and the choice of spouse. The caste system is set out in the ancient Indian Hindu text Manusmriti. It comprises four main castes (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) with an additional category outside the caste system (Dalits or Scheduled Castes) thousands of sub-castes. The Manusmriti is one of the most widely used and quoted ancient Indian texts setting out rules in relation to religious practice, rites, political governance and everyday life. It contains provisions on inheritance, adoption, taxes, punishments, legal process and atonement. The Manusmriti is believed to have been written between 100 BC and 200 AD.
Indian social worker Asha Narayan Iyer[FN1 Asha Narayan Iyer, "Provisions and Practice. Intercountry Adoptions and the Law in India", in: Andrea Abraham, Sabine Bitter, Rita Kesselring (ed.), Mother Unknown. Adoption of Children from India in the Swiss Cantons of Zurich and Thurgau, 1973–2002. Zurich 2004, p. 91–107, here p. 92.] writes:
"The Indian caste system ranked people hierarchically into four castes according to occupation and determined access to wealth, power, and privilege. In the hierarchy, the Brahmins, usually priests and scholars, were at the top. Next were the Kshatriyas, or political rulers and soldiers. They were followed by the Vaishyas, or merchants, and the fourth were the Shudras, who were usually labourers, peasants, artisans and servants. At the very bottom were the untouchables. These individuals performed occupations considered unclean and polluting, such as scavenging and skinning dead animals. They were excluded from the ranked castes. Although some caste-based prejudices and rankings still exist, wealth and power are now less associated with caste. Caste has become a lot less significant in the daily lives of people who live in urban areas compared to rural areas, but its significance still varies by social class and occupation. Discrimination based on caste has been outlawed in India, though it still exists today. Over the years, the government has introduced various legislation to uplift disadvantaged classes and castes and reduce prejudice."
Although the caste system was officially abolished in India's 1949 constitution, its influence lingered and from the 1970s to the 2000s caste continued to shape various aspects of Indian society, even as it became less rigid.
Sources / literature
Uma Chakravarti, "Conceptualising Brahminical Patriarchy in Early India. Gender, Caste, Class and State", in: Class, Caste, Gender. Readings in Indian Politics, Delhi 2004, p. 271–95.
Dipankar Gupta, Interrogating Caste. Understanding Hierarchy and Difference in Indian Society, Penguin Books, India, 2000.
