The caste system of India

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The caste system of India

• Janine and Sandra

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Structure

• What exactly is a caste system?
• The caste system of India
• The different castes
• Where does it come from?
• Criticism on the system

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What exactly is a caste system?

• Social stratification ? people are ranked into
  groups
• True caste systems are only found in India
• The caste is a closed group whose members are
  severly restricted in their choice of occupation
• Social status is determined by the caste of ones
  birth
• Marriage outside the caste is prohibited

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The caste system of India

• Has been in use for many years
• Still today the values of the caste system are
  held strongly
• Has a major role in modern India
• Gives a sense of order and peace among the people
• System has worked well

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The different castes(from highest to lowest)

1. Brahman ? priests, scholars
2. Kshatriya ?ruler, warriors, landowner
3. Vaishya ?merchants
4. Shudra ? artisans, agriculturalists
5. Harijan ? actually not part of the caste system,
   outsiders and once known as untouchables

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Where does the system come frome?

• Its not 100 proven where this system comes from
  but there are assumptions
• The Indo-Aryans may have established a caste
  system in which they placed themselves in higher
  classes
• The caste system was already established by
  tribes and with the arrival of the Indo-Aryans
  those castes just became more well-defined

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Criticism on the system

• Some activists think the system is a form of
  racial discrimination
• Lower castes arent allowed to go to the high
  castes areas
• Lower castes have to drink water from public
  wells
• Mustnt visit the same temples as the higher
  castes
• Often sit in the back of classrooms
• Many Hindus are persuaded that the system is a
  part of the society and not with Hinduism
  backgrounds
• Observers think the caste system is a system of
  exploitation of poor lower castes by the higher

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Thanks for your attention!