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Caste and Class : a Reinterpretation'

Caste and Class : a Reinterpretation' IT is generally accepted that caste and class are different forms of social stratification. At the same time it is found that both caste and class systems may coexist in the same society. This is particularly so in India. Therefore, the question about the relationship between caste and class becomes very important and yet this has not been satisfactorily explained. Most of the studies in social stratification resolve this issue in one of two ways: (i) by treating caste and class as qualitatively distinct forms of social stratification so that class system may operate within each caste group, but the two systems cannot cut across each other, and (ii) by regarding caste system as a limiting case of the class system so that the former differs from the latter only in degree. However, neither of these views helps clarify how caste system may transform itself into class system and vice-versa. Let us try to understand the nature of the problem by examining briefly the two different types of concepts of caste. One of the well known Indian authorities on the subject, G. S. Ghurye, describes caste system by drawing attention to its six main features: (1) segmental division http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Asian and African Studies (in 2002 continued as African and Asian Studies) Brill

Caste and Class : a Reinterpretation'

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0021-9096
eISSN
1568-5217
DOI
10.1163/156852167X00234
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

IT is generally accepted that caste and class are different forms of social stratification. At the same time it is found that both caste and class systems may coexist in the same society. This is particularly so in India. Therefore, the question about the relationship between caste and class becomes very important and yet this has not been satisfactorily explained. Most of the studies in social stratification resolve this issue in one of two ways: (i) by treating caste and class as qualitatively distinct forms of social stratification so that class system may operate within each caste group, but the two systems cannot cut across each other, and (ii) by regarding caste system as a limiting case of the class system so that the former differs from the latter only in degree. However, neither of these views helps clarify how caste system may transform itself into class system and vice-versa. Let us try to understand the nature of the problem by examining briefly the two different types of concepts of caste. One of the well known Indian authorities on the subject, G. S. Ghurye, describes caste system by drawing attention to its six main features: (1) segmental division

Journal

Journal of Asian and African Studies (in 2002 continued as African and Asian Studies) – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 1967

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