Caste System

Caste System

It is a very famous and old saying “Garib Ko paise de do par Buddhi mat do” (Give poor money but never wisdom). The question is why? What will happen if poor gets the wisdom? The answer is: If they have the wisdom, they will become rational, will develop the sense of just and unjust, understand their rights, duties and a strong sense to protest wrongs and finally a sudden decrease in their tolerance level and they will no more serve you.

Followers, may be of any kind or nature like Social, political or religious in nature but they all share the same psychological state of mind.

Simple Psychological theory works here is “The Domination of superior”.

  

We only respect and or obey people who are superior to us may be in terms of wealth, knowledge, experience, expertise or potential. We generally don’t follow people who are equivalent or below our level. For instance : If we attain some superior or equivalent position to any of our school time senior in the same organization, we would abstain from showing some seniority regard to them but try to treat them more as  friend and a companion.

Logic behind all this is, anything flows from higher potential to the lower potential and when the potential difference is matched there is no absolutely flow.

This strategy was followed by the architects of our society. A huge potential difference was artificially created and maintained through rigor structure of the caste system.

Formal education (the kind of education we get today) was denied to the masses, they were only entitled for the vocational education and work training relative to their respective case cadres and formal education with wide range of subjects were made available only to the ruling class for bringing superiority in them.

The design!!

Imagine yourself studying only History from the class 1st to PhD level and no other subject, having all historians and archeologist as family member, friends and relatives. Will there be any match for your expertise (and expertise of other people similar to you) in the subject of history anywhere in the world? The simple answer is no! But on the other hand you would be a dumb in all other subjects and aspects. You wouldn’t have any idea about Maths, science, commerce, and arts subjects other than history. 

Imagine similar condition for all other people like scientists, mathematicians, geologist, metallurgist, ceramist, Economist etc. What we will get is a section of world class experts in each and every field. This was something how our society was designed. Cast system acted as a very tough and rigid system to set the boundary between the different professions almost free from mutual interactions and interference. There were several advantages and disadvantages at the same time. People were 100% professional and expert in their area but a blunt fool in all other respects. A very skillful person had no idea about the politics, administration and all other things; he was just a follower and an order receiver. People seldom protested against the exploitation by the Elite and their Kings, because they were not aware of anything, living under umbrella of exploitation was just a way of life and considered choice of god, they named it fate.

There was a very small section of generalist, people having a formal education of almost all important subjects; they were great scholars and experts. All kinds of educational and teaching activities were confined to them and they were having the respect and prestige above everything else. Religion was intermixed with education to make a distinction and create a separate class. Educational texts were coded in religious thoughts and very few having the access to it. Mostly the Brahmins and Kshatriya were eligible to receive a formal education. In other words, we can assume a 100% reservation for upper caste in whole education and administration system in our historic past. They were either the ruling Kings/princes and other officers in King’s office or Ministers and advisers of the King.

So there were two main distinctions:

1) The Elite

 2) The commons

The Elite or the ruling class has the power of Education, Knowledge, Wisdom and Wealth while the Commons were happily living with their small set of skills in their respective profession or work.

There was no conflict in society as the range of roles, responsibilities and the wealth proportions were predefined. Religious teachings asked for satisfaction and sacrifice to yield a better life after death i.e., concept of heaven and hell. Rulers and the Holy men taught people to yield a life of peace and simplicity while they themselves enjoying the comfort and luxury of Palaces. Kings were having hundreds of wives, thousands of slaves and enormous wealth with all other kinds of facilities and the Holy men having thousands of followers, he was a trusty of property of temples, advisor of the king and agent of the God. Meanwhile the common man was being taught “Hari Ka Nam Lo, Hari Ka Nam Lo” when they use to complain for no follow up from their 'Hari’ the were further educated concepts of Karma, the Bhagwat Geeta lessons,  the concept of life and death, the heaven hypothesis and ultimately concepts of Moksha.

So, we already discussed how our society was designed and developed based on the caste system hypothesis and now we will now discuss why it was evolved and what benefits and drawback were there and finally how things are working out today and what are future prospects.

Why caste system evolved?

The caste system served a number of social and economical functions and once was most important reason behind the huge success of our country before 17the Century. Once we were economic super power, a status what even the United States do not enjoys today. We had 31.5% share of Global Domestic Production, the balance of payment completely in our favor with very high exports and marginal imports, 100% employment and very high social index. While this system gave us an extra edge over the world for centuries, the arrival of British in India and the new concept of industrialized world changed each and every equation of our society completely.

We will try to understand the evolution of caste system in our society, the need and purpose in past and prospects for present and future.

Past

Economic Reasons

Caste system evolved to divide the society into different segments based on the economic and production function. If people were given choices to opt for their favorite profession there would have been a huge chaos as most opting for professions associated either with high social status or economic values. To mitigate these problem founding fathers of our society discovered caste system. Religious function and customs were associated to act as a strong bound between sections of society and professions. For example : Different castes like Luhars, Kumhars, Chamars, Baniyas, Yadavs, Brahamins etc. represents different works and professions.

Biological Reasons

The genes codes billions of genetic information and transfers it from one generation to another.  We can easily feel this thing in our day to day life, a child resembling the facial look of his/her parents, dependency of high built and personality over family heredity. Scientific researches has proved that our activities, intellect level, particular skills, accuracy, and all other individual traits also gets coded in our genes and this information is passed on to our coming generations. For instance, a tunnel vision in men due to hunting and peripheral vision among females due to domestic works which has evolved over hundreds of years of heredity and continuous evolution. Therefore a customized system of same caste marriage evolved in our society may be intentionally or unintentionally, to protect a particular set of skills within a limited section of society and or within a community and a complete avoidance of alien skills or traits which may have diluting effects. For example if a Kumhar marries within a Kumhar community, he is more likely to have offspring having better abilities and better prospects in his career as a Kumhar, than if he marries within a  Luhar community.

Social Reasons

The social, cultural, economic and occupational patterns in a particular caste community are very similar. There is very less to be done to accommodate with one another and interlinking of families through institution such as marriage. The community can take care of its social, economic and occupational interests as a whole (for example: the role played by factory workers union in present industrialized society). As, initially these communities were very small and most likely were decedents of same people or closely linked people, most families were distant relatives of one another in some way or the other. Such system prevents the property transfer outside the family through marriages and kinship and property remains within the family system.

Educational Reasons

Yet education is also a social function and doesn’t need a separate classification under a new head, but the need of the discussion ask for classification under a separate head. In our Past there was almost no choice to opt for a profession other than what ancestors have been doing. Home was the first and in most cases last institution where one has to graduate, from primary level to the PhD. Education was more related to Skill and Application rather than the theoretical knowledge we impart today. There were almost no theory classes; one has to learn things by doing itself. The techniques of hit and trial under close supervision of seniors and experts, the practices of apprentice, job training etc. were prevalent. There was enough room for innovation and newness and was much recognized and much appreciated. Additionally a child was considered a helping hand of his father from very childhood and another earning member for the family.

Things changed!

During late 18^th century we started following western educational, social and economic system. After independence we had no alternative but to adopt the prevalent system of the present world. All the constraints over education and choice of economic activities were removed. Jobs involving theoretical, scientific and industrial knowledge were more suitable for rapidly industrializing society. Accordingly the education system evolved and begun training individuals through institutions like Schools, Colleges, and Universities etc. with more inclination towards imparting theoretical and scientific knowledge. Earlier, maximum people were entrepreneurs and self employed, today we have large factories and industries with some capitalists at top and rest as skilled and unskilled workforce. Job market do not makes distinction between people, based on caste and religion but on the basis of knowledge, skill and suitability of person for the particular function. So, presently there is absolutely no requirement of caste system to exist and is going to extinct in coming decades.

Present:

The things have changed drastically, today we don’t need a caste system, same factors are responsible for the new circumstances as were earlier i.e., Economic, biological, social, and educational reasons.

Economic, Biological, social and educational needs of present day:

The present era is called economic era, today the main division between the people and society is not on the basis of caste but economic condition or wealth. We have upper class, middle class and lower or poor class. The income of people determines which class it belongs. The division between the classes is not very restrictive type, like earlier under caste system, one’s class or level in an economic society can easily be interchanged by increasing or decreasing one’s state of income. Education is most important instrument for mitigating this division, as income in some aspect or another is proportional to education level. The caste system has lost its grounds under urban environment. Earlier same or similar castes accommodated in closely held colonies and settlements, today colonies are based on economic state, like we see city’s flat nomenclature like Luxury, ‘HIG (high income group)’, ‘MIG(mid income group)’, Economic Apartments  etc.

Modern world do not demands particular genes and skills to be preserved or secured but some more generalization of qualities. Today people go for better looks, better education background, family’s economic strength etc. A beautiful and more educated and successful person today is perceived to have better genes to produce better offspring’s and provide the family a happy, prosperous and stable environment. Equal educational and employment opportunities have took women out from their domestic environments into an open atmosphere full with opportunities for them. This lead to more interaction between both sexes and substantially increased the chances of close, intimate and love relations. The kinship equation is getting favorable for love marriages which generally do not look for caste match. Matching of genes of different caste segments produces better and diversified traits in the offspring. Continuous process of this inter-caste mating over generations will result in a more evolved, generalized and optimized version of traits among children which will be most suited for the prevalent environment.

As there is no relevance of Caste System in our present day, and is losing its relevance day by day, this continuous decay of this system will make it extinct very soon. 

  

A fool's opinion on Justice Katju's 90% fool theory !!

First of all I would like inform that I am one among those 90% fool class (passed 1st test : neither communal nor having faith in cast system, passed 2nd test : don't like cricket (the freak show) very much, but oops !! failed 3rd test :  I check regular astrology updates !! so a 3^rd degree fool).

I am a huge-huge fan of this gentleman Justice Markandey Katju and seriously adore the way of his thinking, writing, actions and further follow-ups. First of all came to know about him in Asim Trivedi case, afterwards regularly following his updates from Twitter, His blog (Satyam Bruyat ), and media stories. If you search and read his judgments, you will find the excellence, scientific methodology and very frequent references from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavada-Gita and other epics. If you came across Chanakya updesh, Sanskrit Sloks, or Galib sayaries in any Supreme Court judgment, be sure it’s none other than respected Justice Katju.

I will take reference of the Justice Katju’s blog posts to present my views in a point wise manner.

When I said that 90% Indians are fools I said an unpleasant truth. The truth is that the minds of 90% Indians are full of casteism, communalism, and superstitions. Consider the following:

When our people go to vote in elections, 90% vote on the basis of caste or community, not the merits of the candidate. That is why Phulan Devi, a known dacoit-cum-murderer was elected to Parliament merely because she belonged to a backward caste which had a large number of voters in that constituency. Vote banks in India are on caste and community basis, which are manipulated by some unscrupulous politicians and others.

Agree but not completely, would like to add another factor ‘sympathy’, it is another big vote puller, remember Rajiv Gandhi’s landslide victory in general elections, 1984, congress securing 404 out of 506 Loksabha seats (around 80% of total seats), factor being sympathetic votes created by the assassination of Mrs. Gandhi. Public in our country irrespective of social, economical, political, age  group or sexual class, is soft hearted and emotional. Caste system plays important role in fetching votes but castes system gets votes only out of sympathy.

Justice Katju, as per your illustration of Phulan Devi, which u claims to have won elections just because of caste politics, had actually played an emotional politics wrapped in a caste canister.

Phulan Devi was herself a victim of circumstances; she was ravished, tormented, tortured and finally turned into a dacoit and not to forget the superficial roles played by Police, Law and Judiciary. She was even brutally gang raped by police men in a police station. Such continuous victimization can turn any one into a hardcore criminal. Whether it is Pan Singh Tomar or Naxals, all share the same story.

She was not an exception or the only one being tormented, there was, and there is, an endless queue of millions, likes her or in a worse state. Difference being, their dead silence. One in a million of suppressed, raises Rifle as “Phulan Devi” rightly did. After she planned to return the main stream, there was no other choice but the Politics, to resist her old foes, mainly Jamindars, sahukars etc.

Now, she was not an individual but a class herself, a hero of poor and deprived. The symbol of backward class, which elevates her up to the chair anticipating and in disguise that she will improve their state and will provide them protection and security. This fear and insecurity in people’s mind coupled with the positive presentation and campaign (Mala Sen's 1993 book India’s Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi, Shekhar Kapur made a movie Bandit Queen (1994)) of her to present her like a victim and a hero at the same time, which fights the evil, was enough to win her sympathy votes in 1996 Lok Sabha elections on Samajwadi Party Ticket.

Cast system indeed plays decisive role under selfish Indian political catastrophe but along with several other local and circumstantial factors. Change is taking place in the educational landscape and is likely to replace the present system somewhere in coming decades but the process is slow and will remain like that, unless the top 10% intelligentsia of our country forget their selfishness and act as a catalyst in the process of change and the rest 90% see the day light with eyes open.  

 90% Indians believe in astrology, which is pure superstition and humbug. Even a little commonsense tells us that the movements of stars and planets has nothing to do with our lives. Yet T.V. channels showing astrology have high T.R.P. ratings.

At one time India was leading the whole world in science and technology (see my article ‘Sanskrit as a language of Science’ on the website kgfindia.com). That was because our scientific ancestors like Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Sushrut, Charak, etc questioned everything. I read the above lines in your blog. The way you adore Indian Epics, the teachings, the messages, and the way you criticize astrology is itself a paradox. Astrology was and is a science of India, the mother of mathematics and has mentions in all major epics. Agree up to extent, that “planets has nothing to do with our lives” but “Karma does” but calling someone fool just because he has faith on astrology is something difficult to digest.

Cricket has been made into a religion by our corporatized media, and most people lap it up like opium. The real problems facing 80% people are socio-economic ---- poverty, massive unemployment, malnourishment, price rise, health care, education, housing etc. But the media sidelines or minimizes these real issues, and gives the impression that the real issues are lives of film stars, fashion, cricket, etc. When Rahul Dravid retired the media depicted it as a great misfortune for the country, whereas when Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100^th century it was depicted as a great achievement for India. Day after day the media kept harping on this, whereas the issues of a quarter million farmers suicides, and 47% Indian children being malnourished, was sidelined.

100% agree and loved this line, The Roman emperors used to say that if you cannot give people bread, give them circuses in one of your articles.

Dear Justice Katju, I agree and make a conscience with you on all other relevant points mentioned by you and heart fully thank you for sharing the good works with us and carrying out the kind of campaign of awareness as you are doing.

Thanks a lot Sir and hats off to this great gentleman.

God bless you sir.

Abhishek @918abhi - Twitter 

The Caste System In India By : Justice Markandey Katju

The Caste System In India By : Justice Markandey Katju, Judge, Supreme Court of India

The caste system is one of the greatest social evils plaguing our country today. It is acting as a powerful social and political divisive force in our country at a time when it is absolutely essential for us to be united if we wish to face our nation’s challenges. It is a curse on our country which must be speedily eradicated if we wish to progress. We may consider a few facts to realize how strongly caste is still entrenched in our society today. Our politics is largely governed by caste vote banks. When the time comes for selecting candidates for the elections a study is made of the numerical caste distribution in a constituency, because voters in most areas vote on caste basis. What to say of the illiterate people, even the so called intellectuals tend to operate on caste lines. Thus, in the elections to many bar associations the lawyers tend to vote for the candidates of their caste. Many castes want to be declared as O.B.C.s or Scheduled Castes, to get the benefits of reservation. Even some O.B.C.s strive to be declared as M.B.C.s (most backward castes) or Scheduled Castes. Fake caste certificates have become rampant, as is often witnessed in our law courts, to get jobs or admissions in educational institutions. Marriages are still largely performed within one’s caste. Violence often occurs between castes, as was noticed in the recent fight between students of different castes in a University in Chennai, while the policemen looked on as silent spectators. Even Muslims, Christians and Sikhs often have castes, although their religions preach equality. We can multiply these facts manifolds. Many books and articles have been written about the caste system in India, but a scientific study is still wanting. An attempt shall be made here to explain the origin, development and future of the caste system. Origin of the Caste System The origin of the caste system was in all probability racial.  It is said that caste originated when a white race, the Aryans, coming from the North West, conquered the dark coloured races inhabiting India at that time, probably 5000 years ago or so. Some persons deny that the Aryans came from outside India and assert that India was the original home of the Aryans (Aryavarta) from where a section of them migrated to Europe.  It is difficult to accept this view because people migrate from uncomfortable areas to comfortable areas (see the article `Kalidas Ghalib Academy for Mutual Understanding’ inwww.kgfindia.com).  Why should anyone migrate from a comfortable country like India which has level and fertile land ideal for agriculture to a place like Afghanistan or Russia which is cold, mountaneous and therefore uncomfortable.  Indian history bears out the view that almost all invasions/immigrations were from outside India (mainly from the North West and to a lesser extent from the North East) into India. The caste system is called `Varna Vyavastha’ and the word `Varna’ in Sanskrit literally means colour of the skin. This also points at the racial origin of the caste system. Fair skin colour is usually preferred to darker skin even today, as is evident from matrimonial advertisements. Subsequent Development of the Caste System While the origin of the caste system appears to be racial (as mentioned above) it subsequently developed an altogether different basis according to the needs of the feudal society in India.  In other words, the caste system, though originating in race, subsequently developed into the feudal, occupational division of labour in society.  This needs to be explained in some detail. In theory there were only four castes, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. This, however, was only a fiction. In reality there were (and still are) hundreds, if not thousands, of castes and sub-castes in India many of which do not fit into the 4 traditional castes mentioned above e.g. Yadavs, Kurmis, Jats, Kayasthas, Bhumihars, Gosains, etc. Every vocation became a caste. Thus, in North India badhai (carpenter) became a caste, and so did lohar (blacksmith), sonar (goldsmith), kumbhar (Potter), dhobi (washerman), nai (barber), darzi (tailor), kasai (butcher), mallah (fisherman), kewat (boatman), teli (oil presser), kahar (water carrier), gadadia (sheep herder), etc. This was not something unique to India. For instance, in England even today there are many people with the surnames Taylor, Smith, Goldsmith, Baker, Butcher, Potter, Barber, Mason, Carpenter, Turner, Waterman, Shepherd, Gardener, Miller, etc., which indicates that the ancestors of these persons belonged to those professions. In feudal society, apart from agriculture, there was development of handicraft industry. This happened in India too, and the caste system became the Indian variation of the feudal occupational division of labour in society, somewhat like the medieval European guild system. As pointed out by Adam Smith in his book `The Wealth of Nations’, division of labour results in great progress. The caste system in India resulted in great development of the productive forces, and hence in the feudal age it was a progressive institution (as compared to the preceding slave society). It is well known that before the coming of the British, India was one of the world’s most prosperous countries (at that time).  India was exporting Dacca Muslin, Murshidabad silk, Kashmir shawls and carpets, ornaments, etc. apart from agricultural products like spices, indigo, etc. to the Middle East and even Europe.  The discovery of Roman coins in several parts of South India show the great volume of trade from India, which shows the great development of the productive forces in feudal India.  In fact India was once a super power with a 31.5% share in the global gross domestic production, which came down to 3% in the year 1991. The Destruction of Handicraft Industry in India It is estimated that before the coming of the British into India about 40% of the population of India was engaged in industry while the rest of the population was engaged in agriculture. This industry was no doubt handicraft industry, and not mill industry. Nevertheless, there was a very high level production of goods in India by these handicraft industries before the coming of the British, and many of these goods were exported often up to Europe, the Middle East, China, etc. e.g. Dacca Muslin, Murshidabad silk, and other kind of textiles, spices etc. A rough and ready test of the level of the economic development of a country is to find out how much percentage of the population is engaged in industry, and how much in agriculture. The greater the percentage of population in industry and lesser in agriculture the more prosperous the country. Thus, the U.S.A., the most prosperous country in the world today has only about 2 or 3% of its population in agriculture, while the rest is in industry or services. India was a relatively prosperous country before the coming of the British because a high percentage of the people (which could be up to 40%) was engaged at that time in industry (though no doubt this was handicraft industry, not mill industry). Thus, Lord Clive around 1757 (when the battle of Plassey was fought) described Murshidabad  (which was then the capital of Bengal) as a city more prosperous than London, vide `Glimpses of World History’ by Jawaharlal Nehru (Third Impression p.416, chapter entitled `The Indian Artisan goes to the wall’). When the British conquered India they introduced the products of their mill industry into India, and exorbitantly raised the export duties on the Indian handicraft products. Thereby they practically destroyed the handicraft industry in India. The result was that by the end of the British rule hardly 10% or even less of the population of India was still in the handicraft industry, and the rest of those who were earlier engaged in the handicraft industry were made unemployed. In this way about 30% of the population of India who were employed in handicraft industry became unemployed, and were driven to starvation, destitution, beggary or crime (the thugs and ‘criminal’ tribes were really these unemployed sections of society). As an English Governor General wrote in 1834, `the bones of the cotton weavers are bleaching the plains of India’. At the end of the British rule, India, which was one of the most prosperous countries in the world, became one of the poorest, unable to feed itself, with industrial development stalled (as the British policy was to not permit industrialization of  India), low life expectancy and very low literacy rate. As Angus Madison, the Cambridge University historian points out, India’s share of world income fell from 22.6% in 1700 to 3.8% in 1952. In this connection it may be noted that in the revenue records in many states in our country one often finds recorded: ‘A son of B, caste lohar (smith), vocation agriculture’; or ‘C son of D, caste badhai (carpenter), vocation agriculture’, or ‘E son of F, caste kumhar (potter), vocation agriculture’, etc. This indicates that the ancestors of these persons were in those professions, but later they became unemployed (although ostensibly they were shown as agriculturists) as British mill industry destroyed their handicraft. Some people think that if the British had not come into India an indigenous mill industry would have developed in India, because the high development of handicraft industry leads to capital accumulation which is the pre-requisite for industrialization, and India would have become an Industrial State by the 19th Century, like North America or Europe, but it is not necessary to go into this here, as there is no use crying over spilt milk. In England and other European countries, too, the handicrafts were destroyed by the mill products, but the handicraftsmen got employment in the mills, whereas in India the British policy was to prevent industrialization of India (see Rajni Palme Dutt’s `India Today’) with the result that the millions of handicraftsmen either starved or became beggars or criminals. The Thugs of India or the `criminal tribes’ were those former handicraftsmen who became unemployed. Handicraft Industry and Mill Industry In the feudal period there were no engineering colleges or technical institutes, and the only way to learn a craft was to sit with one’s father from childhood and learn the craft by seeing how he works, with some tips from him.  Thus the father was not only doing the production work through his craft but also teaching the craft to his son. This was totally unlike modern times where the teacher in an engineering college or technical institute is not a producer engaged in some industry. In other words, in modern times the vocation of a teacher is separated from the vocation of a producer, but there was no such separation in the feudal age. In feudal times one had no choice of one’s profession, one had to follow his father’s profession, and thus the son of a carpenter (Badhai) became a carpenter, the son of a blacksmith (lohar) became a blacksmith, etc. In this way carpenter, blacksmith, potter, etc. all became castes. The same thing happened in Europe too in feudal times (as mentioned above). Modern Mill Industry In the modern industrial age the demand for skilled technical personnel is much larger than in the feudal age, because the demand of goods is much more (due to increase in population, etc.). Hence the traditional feudal method of teaching a craft, in which only a handful of persons, (usually the sons of the handicraftsman), were taught, no longer sufficed for modern society. Now technical institutes or engineering colleges have become necessary, where a large number of students are taught the technical skill.  Obviously all these students could not be sons of the teacher. This destroyed the very basis of the caste system in which one had no choice in choosing one’s vocation and had to follow his father’s profession. The caste system, in which one’s vocation is chosen by one’s birth, is thus totally outmoded in the modern age. Today a boy of the badhai (carpenter) caste comes from the rural areas in India to a city where he becomes an electrician or motor mechanic or takes up some other vocation. If he gets some education he becomes a clerk or even a doctor, lawyer, engineer or teacher. He does not usually follow his father’s profession, and this has largely destroyed the basis of the caste system economically. The caste system is now being artificially propped up socially by some vested interests e.g. vote bank politics, but when the basis of an institution has been destroyed (by the advance of technology) how long can that institution survive? To my mind the caste system in India will not last for more than ten or twenty years from now (because its very basis has gone). A modern mill no longer bothers about the caste of the worker it employs, it only sees his technical skills. The caste system was a social institution corresponding to handicraft industry. Now that handicraft industry has largely been replaced by mill industry, the caste system has today become totally outmoded, and is hindering our progress. The sooner it is destroyed the better. Was the Caste System Bad for India? Many people think that the caste system did a lot of damage to India. This is undoubtedly true of modern times. But it must also be said that in the feudal age the caste system did good to India because it corresponded to the feudal occupational division of labour in society (as pointed out above), which resulted in the great development of the productive forces (at that time). It is a myth that the Scheduled Castes of today were always treated with indignity. In fact upto the coming of British rule, these castes were usually in some handicraft vocation and were earning their livelihood from that vocation. It was only when the British mill industry destroyed their handicraft and they became unemployed that they began to be treated with indignity. An unemployed man becomes a poor man, and a poor man is not given respect in society. For instance, the chamars were at one time a respectable caste because they earned their livelihood by doing leather work. It was only when Bata and other companies destroyed their handicraft (and thereby their livelihood) that they sank in the social ladder, so much so that today to call a person a chamar is often regarded as a word of insult (see the judgment of the Supreme Court in Swaran Singh & Ors. vs. State through Standing Counsel & Anr. [2008(8) SCC 435, JT 2008(9) SC 60]). Similarly, other castes whose handicraft occupations were destroyed by the British mill industry also became unemployed and thereby fell in the social order. How will the Caste System be Destroyed? To my mind the caste system will be destroyed (and is in fact being destroyed) in India by (1) The advance of technology (2) The people’s struggles, and (3) Inter caste marriages. As regards the advance of technology, it has already been pointed out above that in modern industrial society the division of labour cannot be on the basis of one’s birth but on the basis of  technical skills.  Hence industrialization destroys the caste system, and in fact the caste system has become weak in a State like West Bengal, which was partially industrialized before most other states. As regards the people’s struggles, these are in fact going on everywhere in view of the harsh economic conditions in India (price rise, unemployment, etc.). People in India are realizing that united they stand and divided they fall, and caste is certainly a dividing force. As regards inter caste marriages, I have stated in my judgment in Lata Singh vs. State of U.P. [2006(5) SCC 475, JT 2006(6) SC 173], that inter caste marriages are in the national interest and hence should be encouraged. ................................................................................................................................................................. Original source : http://justicekatju.blogspot.in/2012/02/caste-system-in-india.html?spref=tw