CASTE, CLASS AND

OCCUPATION

G.H.GHURYE
 INTRODUCTION
 Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (12 December 1893 – 28
December 1983) was an Indian professor of sociology.
[3]
 In 1924, he became the second person to head the
Department of Sociology at the University of Bombay.
 Ghurye was appointed as Head of Department of the
Department of Sociology in Bombay University in
1924, and retired in 1959. Caste and Race focuses
principally on caste. The first two chapters identify the
basic features of the caste system and analyze the
nature of caste groups. These chapters are largely
descriptive and consider caste as it was in the 1920s.
They are quite frank about the fluctuating nature of
caste and find the principal definienda of caste and
subcaste in their constraint of social life and cultural
patterns, but above all in their prescription of
endogamy. Ghurye notes the very loose affiliation of
Ghurye argues that the classical writers developed the concepts
that would later be bound into the (colonial) concept of caste
principally through discussion of the four varnas: Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Sudra. Through this complex discussion
was expressed and explored a basic theory of endogamous groups
linked in a hierarchy of purity. But as Ghurye insists, the forces of
intercultural contact, geographic mobility, occupational drift,
religious change, and—above all—miscegenation continually
blurred any endogamous groups that emerged. Then the principles
of hierarchy, purity, and endogamy had to be redeployed to
sharpen the boundaries again. This process eventually strewed the
landscape with the castes (jati) and subcastes that so confused the
British census enumerators in the late 19th century, when they
decided to freeze-photograph the system and then interpret that
snapshot within their new “theory of everything”—evolution
Caste is the most dominant single aspect of Indian society and no study
of Indian society can be complete without getting into the ramifications of
the Hindu caste system. Caste and Race in India, since its first publication
in History of Civilisation series, edited by C. K. Ogden in 1932, has
remained a basic work for students of Indian sociology and anthropology,
and has been acclaimed by teachers and reviewers as a sociological
classic.
The present edition is an expanded version with five new chapters,
comprehensive enough for a separate volume. Answering his critics, the
author elaborates his arguments on the evolution of sub-castes and
examines caste, sub-caste and kinship in its proper perspective.
 The relationship between caste and politics, which he has briefly dealt
with in the 1932 edition, is developed in the present edition, with a
provocative and thorough-going analysis of caste and politics in Tamil
Nadu from early times to the present day. The concluding chapter is an
incisive analysis of contemporary India: the author apprehends that India
will develop into a plural society and not a casteless one, which was a
dream of architects of her Constitution
 Caste and Class jointly determine the position of an
individual in social strain. Particularly in rural communities
where caste system has maintained its rigidity. It forms the
basic for economic and special life. In a single village there
may be as many as 24 castes and of these are
interdependent. Even in the urban society a constant
tendency to make caste distinction is observed in the upper
and middle classes. Thus the castes have maintained their
importance in class system of social stratification.
 According to Weber, Caste and class are both status
groups. A status group is a collection of persons who share
a distinctive style of life and a certain consciousness of
kind. While caste is perceived as a hereditary group with a
fixed ritual status, a social class is a category of people who
have a similar socio-economic status in relation to other
segments of their community or society.
The individuals and families who compose a social class are
relatively similar in educational, economic and prestige status.
Those who are classified as part of the same social class have
similar life chances. Some sociologists regard social classes as
being primarily economic in nature whereas others tend to stress
factors such as prestige, style of life, attitudes, etc.
Caste system is characterised by cumulative in-equality but
class system is characterised by dispersed inequality. The
members of a class have a similar socio-economic status in relation
to other classes in the society, while the members of a caste have
either a high or low ritual status in relation to other castes. Caste is
a unique phenomenon found in India but class is a universal
phenomenon found all over the world. Caste works as an active
political force in a village but not the class. It is also true that castes
depend on each other (jajmani system) but besides
interdependence, castes also compete with each other for acquiring
political and economic power and high ritual position.
Further, in the caste system, status of a caste is
determined not by the economic and the political
privileges but by the ritualistic legitimization of authority,
i.e., in the caste system, ritual norms encompass the
norms of power and wealth. For example, even though
Brahmins have no economic and political power, yet they
are placed at the top in the caste hierarchy. In the class
system, ritual norms have no importance at all but power
and wealth alone determine one’s status.
Maclver says, “When status is wholly predetermined, so
that men are born to their lot without any hope of
changing it, then class takes the extreme form of caste.
According to Sangeetha Rao, if castes are detached from
religion, class may run parallel to castes.
Hindu society was composed of classes such as (1)
Brahmin or the priestly class, (2) Kshatriya or the
military class and (3) Vaishya or the merchant class
and (4) Sudra or the artisan. This was considered as a
class system .according to B.R. Ambedkar. Among the
Hindus the priestly class maintains social distance
from others through a closed policy and becomes a
caste by itself. The other classes undergo
differentiation, some into large and some into very
minute groups.
“Castes are the building blocks of the Hindu social
structure. Caste is an important factor in the
identification of other backward classes among the
Hindu communities .Caste is also a class of citizens,
as observed by Mandal Commission in its report.
NATURE OF CASTE GROUP

There are number of groups in Hindu caste group society

which makes us clear with the concept, that there are
many other groups which is originated or formulated with
in this caste based society. Many of the caste bear names
derived from the principle profession they follow, practice
and engaged in .
 The caste system in India by G.S Ghurye

CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA

Caste is Innate(natural) -A man dies in the same caste in which he is born
and it is the caste that determines his status in life.
# Restriction on food, drinks and social intercourse :
Some rules have been imposed upon all caste people. Restriction on feed
and social intercourse are still prevalent in Indian society. There are two
type of food i.e. kaccha (raw) food and pakka ( cooked) food upon which
certain restriction are imposed with regard to sharing ,
for an example :
:- People can accept kaccha food.
:-Caste group from whom twice born caste people can accept pakka food.
:-People can accept water but no food .
:-Caste groups from whom twice born caste people do not aacept water or
food and maintain diatance.
:- Food Habits- a Brahmin is not permitted to eat non-vegetarian food.
Caste is Endogamous- practice of marrying within a specific ethnic
group, class, or social group . It is the essence of caste system
.disobeying the caste endogamy rule is not only treated as a crime
but is also condemned as a sin.

Hierarchical Social Structure-At the lowest are those castes from

whom the higher castes cannot accept any food or drink, not even
they may be touched without contamination- hence their hierarchy
the Brahmins enjoy a number of social and religious privileges while
they suffer a series of disabilities. According to Ghurye, caste is
hierarchical . Theoritically, brahmins occupy the top position and
shudras occupy the bottom. The caste can be graded and arrange
into a hierarchy on the basis of their social precedence. The
hierarchy determines caste norms, it is present in caste system is
reflected through the division of labor in society.
Segmental division of society
Under caste system society is divided into
several small social groups called castes.
Additionally, there are multiple divisions
and subdivisions of caste system.The
membership is ascribed in character, i.e. it
is based ob birth and flows from generation
to generation. The members of every
division have fixed status, roles and tasks.
There are also a set of moral ethics,
obligations and justification value behind
these roles. Hence each caste has its own
traditional social status, occupation,
customs rules and regulations.
Civil and religious disabilities and
privileges.
Civil and religious disabilities reflect the rigidity of
the caste system. In a caste society, there is an
unequal distribution of disabilities and privileges
among its members. While the higher caste people
enjoy all the privilege, the lower caste people suffer
from various types of disabilities. The untouchables
are not allowed to take water from public wells, they
are not allowed to enter temples etc. Religion is not
a phenomenon of recent emergence.
Religion is a powerful instrument of social control, it
represents one of the main social facts of man and
man’s faith in super natural forces and minded in
rural India specially.
Lack of unrestricted choice of
occupation
The occupation in caste system are fixed
by heredity and generally members are not
allowed to change their traditional
occupations. The higher caste members
maintain their supremacy in their jobs and
do not allow the other caste group to join in
the same occupation.
1. Hindu society was composed of classes such as
2. (1) Brahmin or the priestly class,
3. (2) Kshatriya or the military class and
4. (3) Vaishya or the merchant class and
5. (4) Sudra or the artisan.
This was considered as a caste system .according to Ghruye Among the
Hindus the priestly caste maintains social distance from others through
a closed policy and becomes a caste by itself. The other caste undergo
differentiation, some into large and some into very minute groups.
6. Occupation is Fixed-Brahmins was to perform priestly duties Bharmins
means ones who recites the prayer, formulae rituals and incantations and
designates a group that was once wholly composed of individuals so
engaged through now it is the appellation of a group whose members are
not only priestly function, but also writers and even in pursuits others works.
The Kshatriyas and Vaishyas were to occupy
themselves with defence and commerce
and the functions of Shudras were to serve the
other three castes.
Recent Trends In Indian Caste system
1.Modern education
2.Jobs
3.Marriage
4.Food
5.Untouchables