Page 6 - Lesson Notes

 After they do this they may no longer desire to be included in the Hindu
temple or religious events. But this does not mean that social exclusion is
not being practiced. The point is that the exclusion occurs regardless of
the wishes of the excluded.

 India like most societies has been marked by acute practices of social
discrimination and exclusion. At different periods of history protest
movements arose against caste, gender and religious discrimination. Yet
prejudices remain and often new ones emerge.

 Thus legislation alone is unable to transform society or produce lasting
social change.

 A constant social campaign to change awareness and sensitivity is
required to break them.

The Caste System As a Discriminatory System

 The Caste system is a social institution that legitimises and
enforces practices of discrimination against people born into
particular castes.
 These practices of discrimination are humiliating, exclusionary and
exploitative.

 The caste system classified people by their occupation and status.
 Every caste was associated with an occupation which meant that
persons born into a particular caste were also „born into‟ the
occupation associated with their caste- they had no choice.
 Each caste had a specific place in the hierarchy of social status, so
that, roughly speaking, not only were occupational categories
ranked by social status, but there could be a further ranking within
each broad occupational category.
 In strict scriptural terms, social and economic status were supposed
to be sharply separated. For example, the ritually highest caste –
the Brahmins –were not supposed to accumulate wealth, and were
subordinated to the secular power of kings and rulers belonging to
the Kshatriya castes. On the other hand, despite having the highest
secular status and power, the king was subordinated to the Brahmin
in the ritual-religious sphere.

Apartheid System