Class 10 Civics Chapter 3 Notes - Gender, Religion and Caste

Introduction

In a vibrant democracy like India, social diversity is not merely a characteristic—it's a fundamental principle of the nation’s identity. 

Far from threatening democratic values, the expression of social differences can enrich political discourse and strengthen democratic institutions. We look at three kinds of social differences - gender, religion, and caste that significantly shape the Indian socio-political landscape.
We also ask whether different expressions based on these differences are healthy or otherwise in a democracy.

Gender and Politics

Gender division is a hierarchical social division prevalent in society, often overlooked in political studies. It is commonly perceived as natural and unchangeable, although it is rooted in social expectations and stereotypes rather than biology.

Public/Private Division

• Boys and girls are raised with the belief that women's primary responsibilities are household chores and child-rearing. 
• This is evident in the division of labor within families, where women typically handle domestic tasks while men engage in work outside the home.
• Despite men being capable of household chores, they often consider such tasks to be women's duties. 
• However, when these tasks are paid, men readily undertake them. For instance, many tailors and cooks in hotels are men.
• Conversely, women also engage in various forms of work outside the home. In both rural and urban settings, women perform tasks like fetching water, working in fields, or holding jobs as domestic helpers or office workers. 
• Despite their contributions, women's work is often undervalued and lacks recognition.
• This unequal division of labor results in women's limited participation in public life and politics across most societies. 
•  Women are often confined to domestic roles, such as housework and child-rearing, while men's work outside the home is more visible and valued. 
• Even when women work outside, their contributions are often undervalued.

Sexual division of labour

• Historically, men exclusively engaged in public affairs, voting, and holding public offices. 
• Over time, the gender issue gained political attention as women worldwide campaigned for equal rights and suffrage.
• Women's movements have sought to enhance the political, legal, educational, and career opportunities for women, with more radical movements aiming for equality in personal and family life, known as feminist movements.
• Political expression of gender divisions and mobilization has helped improve women's roles in public life, enabling women to work as scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, managers, and college and university teachers.
• In some countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland, women's participation in public life is significantly high compared to other regions.
• In contrast, in patriarchal societies like India, women still face significant disadvantages, discrimination, and oppression despite some progress since Independence.
• Challenges include a lower literacy rate among women compared to men, fewer girls pursuing higher education, and gender disparities in access to well-paid jobs.
• The Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 advocates for equal pay for equal work, but in various sectors, women are paid less than men for the same work.
• In many parts of India, preference for sons over daughters leads to sex-selective abortions, resulting in a decline in the child sex ratio in the country.
• Reports highlight different forms of harassment, exploitation, and violence against women, particularly in urban areas where women are not even safe in their own homes from domestic violence.

Womens Political Representation

• Women's political representation is crucial for addressing women's issues effectively.
• In India, the percentage of women in the legislature is significantly low, with only 14.36% in Lok Sabha and less than 5% in state assemblies.
• India ranks poorly in terms of female representation compared to other developing countries in Africa and Latin America.
• Despite women holding top positions like Chief Minister or Prime Minister, cabinets in the government are predominantly male.
• The Panchayati Raj system in India reserves one-third of seats for women in local government bodies, resulting in over 1 million elected women representatives.
• Women's organizations advocate for a similar reservation of one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, but consensus among political parties is lacking.
• A bill proposing this reservation has been pending in Parliament for over a decade without being passed.
• Gender division in politics highlights the importance of addressing social inequalities in the political sphere to benefit disadvantaged groups.
• The gains made by women in political representation wouldn't have been possible without raising concerns about their unequal treatment in the political domain.
• Despite some progress, women’s representation in politics remains low. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Act, 2023) has introduced a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Assembly.

Religion, Communalism, and Politics

• Religious divisions, unlike gender divides, are prevalent globally and can influence politics.
• Even within a single religious community, variations in religious practices can lead to significant differences, as observed in Northern Ireland.
• Gandhi emphasized the interconnection between religion and politics, suggesting that ethical principles derived from religion should guide political decisions.

 Religion and politics should never be mixed

• Human rights organizations in India highlight that religious minorities often bear the brunt of communal violence, advocating for enhanced governmental protection.
• The women's movement argues that family laws across religions exhibit gender bias, calling for legislative reforms to ensure equality.
• These instances underscore the intricate relationship between religion and politics, emphasizing the significance of incorporating diverse religious values and principles in political discourse.
• Political authorities have a role in overseeing religious practices to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment of all religions.
• Political actions concerning religion are acceptable as long as they uphold the principles of equality and non-discrimination towards all faiths.

Communalism

• The issue arises when religion is regarded as the foundation of a nation.
• The Problem becomes more acute when religion is politicized in an exclusive, partisan manner, leading to conflicts between religious groups and the use of state power for one group's dominance.
• Communal politics involves using religion as the primary basis of social community, assuming that followers of the same religion form one community with identical interests, while those of different religions cannot belong to the same social group.

• In extreme cases, communalism leads to the belief that people of different religions cannot be equal citizens in one nation and must either dominate or form separate nations.
• This belief is flawed, as people of the same religion do not always share the same interests and identities, and attempts to unify them solely based on religion can suppress diverse voices within that community.

Forms of Communalism in Politics:

• Common expressions of communalism include everyday religious biases, stereotypes, and the belief in one's religion's superiority.
• Communal mindset often seeks political dominance for one's religious community, either through majoritarian supremacy or minority aspirations for a separate political entity.
• Political mobilization on religious grounds involves leveraging sacred symbols, emotional appeals, and fear to unite followers of one religion in the political sphere, sometimes by appealing to the emotions or interests of voters from one religion over others.
• Communalism is the belief that religion should be the principal basis for social community. This often leads to divisions and conflicts, such as communal violence and riots, and can result in the misuse of state power to favor one religious group over others.
• Communalism can manifest in communal violence, riots, and massacres, as seen in the history of India and Pakistan during Partition and in post-independence communal conflicts.

Secular State

• Communalism poses a significant challenge to democracy in India.
• India’s Constitution does not recognize any official religion, ensuring equality and freedom of religion. Secularism is essential in combating communalism and maintaining national unity.
• The framers of the Indian Constitution were well aware of this challenge and thus opted for a secular state model.

This decision is evident in various constitutional provisions:

• No official religion is designated for the Indian state, unlike the situations in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England.
• All individuals and communities have the freedom to follow any religion, including the choice not to follow any.
• The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion.
• While allowing state intervention in religious matters to ensure equality within religious communities, such as the prohibition of untouchability.
• Secularism, in this context, is not merely a concept of certain groups or individuals but stands as a foundational principle of the country.
• Communalism should not be viewed as a threat to specific individuals but rather as a threat to the very essence of India.
• Therefore, combating communalism is crucial to preserve the core values of the country.
• While a secular Constitution like India's is essential, it alone is insufficient to address communalism.
• It is imperative to actively counter communal prejudices and propaganda in everyday life and political spheres.

Caste and Politics

Two instances of social divisions in politics: one positive and one negative.

Caste and politics: both positive and negative aspects.

Caste Inequalities

• Caste division specific to India; all societies have social inequality and division of labor.
• Caste system: extreme form of hereditary occupational division sanctioned by rituals.
• Members of the same caste: practiced same occupation, married within caste, and did not interact with other caste groups.
• Caste continues to influence economic status. 'Upper' castes generally fare better economically, while Dalits, Adivasis, and other backward classes face greater economic challenges.
• Caste system based on exclusion and discrimination against 'outcaste' groups.
• Social reformers like Jyotiba Phule, Gandhiji, B.R. Ambedkar, and Periyar Ramaswami Naicker worked to eliminate caste inequalities.

Changes in Caste System in Modern India

• Efforts of leaders and socio-economic changes have led to significant changes in castes and the caste system.
• Economic development, urbanization, growth of literacy and education, occupational mobility, and decline of landlord power have disrupted old notions of caste hierarchy.
• Increased literacy, education, and urbanization have helped to break down traditional caste hierarchies, though caste remains significant in social and economic life.
• The Constitution of India prohibits caste-based discrimination and aims to reverse the injustices of the caste system.
• Some aspects of caste persist: most people still marry within their own caste, and untouchability continues despite constitutional prohibition.
• Effects of historical advantages and disadvantages persist: certain caste groups have excelled in acquiring modern education, while others have lagged behind.
• Caste remains closely tied to economic status, with a disproportionate number of upper-caste individuals in the urban middle class.

Social and Religious Diversity of India

• The Census of India documents the religious affiliation of every Indian every decade.
• During the census process, the religion stated by each individual in a household is accurately recorded, including those who identify as having 'no religion' or as 'atheist'.
• This method provides dependable data on the distribution of various religious groups in the country and how it has evolved over time.

Population Proportion of Major Religious Communities

• A pie chart illustrates the population distribution of six major religious groups in India.
• While the total population of each community has grown significantly since Independence, their relative proportions have remained relatively stable.
• Since 1961, the percentage of Hindus, Jains, and Christians has seen a slight decrease, while the proportions of Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists have slightly increased.
• Contrary to common belief, expert projections suggest that the Muslim population is expected to rise by only 3 to 4 percent over the next 50 years, indicating that the overall demographic balance among religious communities is unlikely to undergo significant changes.

Significance of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

• The Census of India categorizes people into two main social groups: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• These groups encompass numerous castes or tribes listed in an official Schedule, with the term 'Scheduled' denoting their classification.
• Scheduled Castes, known as Dalits, were historically marginalized within the Hindu social hierarchy, facing exclusion and untouchability.
• Scheduled Tribes, referred to as Adivasis, comprised secluded communities often residing in hills and forests with limited interaction with mainstream society.
• In 2011, Scheduled Castes accounted for 16.6% of the population, while Scheduled Tribes made up 8.6%.
• The Census does not currently include the Other Backward Classes leading to variations in estimates regarding their population share.
• Based on the National Sample Survey of 2004–2005, the combined population share of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes amounts to approximately two-thirds of the country's population and about three-fourths of the Hindu population.

Caste in Politics

• Casteism, like communalism, is based on the belief that caste is the primary determinant of social community.
• Contrary to this belief, shared caste does not imply shared interests exclusive to that caste.
• While caste plays a role in politics, it is not the sole or most crucial aspect.
• Caste identities influence political decisions, such as candidate selection and voter mobilization. Politics also influences caste identities, with new groups like 'backward' and 'forward' castes emerging in the political landscape.

Forms of Caste in Politics

• Political parties consider caste demographics when selecting candidates for elections to garner necessary support.
• Governments aim for caste and tribal representation when forming cabinets.
• Appeals to caste sentiments are common during elections to secure support.
• Some parties are associated with specific castes, seen as their representatives.
• Universal adult franchise necessitated political mobilization and raised awareness among previously marginalized castes.

Caste Influence in Elections

• Elections are not solely about caste; other factors influence voting patterns.
• No constituency has a single caste majority, requiring candidates to appeal to diverse groups.
• Parties do not win votes solely based on caste affiliations.
• The electorate's political allegiance often overrides caste considerations.
• Rich and poor or men and women within the same caste may vote differently based on various factors.

Caste Inequality Today

• Caste inequality in contemporary times remains a significant factor contributing to economic disparities by controlling access to various resources.
• Historically, 'untouchable' castes were deprived of land ownership rights, contrasting with the privileged educational rights reserved for the 'twice born' castes.
• Although explicit caste-based inequalities are now prohibited, the enduring effects of centuries of advantages and disadvantages persist.
• New forms of inequalities have emerged over time alongside the traditional caste system.
• The correlation between caste and economic standing has evolved notably. Presently, individuals from diverse castes can be observed across the economic spectrum, regardless of their traditional ranking.
• Previously uncommon, affluent individuals now exist within even the 'lowest' castes, indicating a significant shift in economic dynamics over the past few decades.

Research from the National Sample Survey underscores the enduring link between caste and economic status through various indicators:

• The economic well-being of different caste groups still mirrors the historical hierarchy, with the 'upper' castes enjoying the highest economic status, while Dalits and Adivasis are at the bottom, and backward classes fall in between.
• Although poverty affects individuals across all castes, extreme poverty rates (below the official poverty line) disproportionately impact the lower castes compared to the upper castes, with the backward classes positioned as intermediaries.
• While each caste includes wealthy members, the affluent predominantly belong to the upper castes, whereas the lower castes are notably underrepresented among the wealthy.

Politics in caste

• Mutual Influence: Caste influences politics, but politics also influences the caste system and caste identities by bringing them into the political arena, resulting in the politicization of caste rather than the caste-ridden nature of politics.
• Forms of Caste Politicization:
  - Caste groups attempt to expand by including neighboring castes or sub-castes.
  - Caste groups must form coalitions with other castes or communities, leading to dialogue and negotiation.
  - New caste groups, such as 'backward' and 'forward' castes, have emerged in the political landscape.
• Positive Roles of Caste in Politics:
  - Caste-based politics provides disadvantaged communities, like Dalits and OBCs, a platform to demand a share of power.
  - Caste politics has improved access to decision-making for marginalized groups.
  - Political and non-political organizations have fought against caste discrimination, advocating for dignity, land, resources, and opportunities.
• Negative Impacts of Caste in Politics:
  - Overemphasis on caste identity in politics can be detrimental to democracy.
  - It may shift focus from other crucial issues such as poverty, development, and corruption.
  - Caste divisions can lead to tensions, conflict, and even violence.