Notes: Caste System | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
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Sleepy Classes 
Sociology Paper – 2 
ii) Caste System: 
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, 
Andre Beteille. 
Features of caste system. 
Untouchability - forms and perspectives. 
  
Page 2


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Sociology Paper – 2 
ii) Caste System: 
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, 
Andre Beteille. 
Features of caste system. 
Untouchability - forms and perspectives. 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Andre Beteille 
View on caste ->  
- Reflexive 
- Diffusive (Not as a structural organization)  
- Variable explanation to caste  
- Committed to Weberian idea that caste to be studied historically & empirically than as 
good or bad.  
Book -> “Caste, Class & Power” 
Village Study ->Sripuram Vill, Tanjore, T.N. 
1) Variable dimensions of stratification in vill.-> 
a. Caste -> Status by birth 
b. Class -> Status by economic 
c. Power -> Status by Pol. Networking  
 
2) Dynamism -> Inter & Intra caste hierarchy  
Sripuram -> Brahmins – Ayangars, Non – Ayangars 
Super – segmentary nature.  
Various sub – castes formed at various times.  
Therefore, caste is dynamic. Refuses to die. Can never be replaced by class. 
 
3) Caste & Class ->Subcastes have endogamy  
Because, within caste there is economic variation.  
Therefore, Poverty another reason of social exclusion  
(LD said -> Purity & Pollution), (AB said -> Poverty & Pollution) 
 
Therefore, can’t be concluded that stratification is only caste driven.  
 
4) “Caste old & New” (Book) – (Dismissal of theory of Y. Singh Modernity)  
Indian social structure, 3 district features:  
a) Caste – Hierarchical system  
b) Jajmani – Interdependence & Vertical ties  
c) Hindu Value System – Hierarchical grading of values 
Now -> Emergence of egalitarian, rational, modern value system.  
Change visible. But caste Elastic. 
Page 3


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Sociology Paper – 2 
ii) Caste System: 
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, 
Andre Beteille. 
Features of caste system. 
Untouchability - forms and perspectives. 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Andre Beteille 
View on caste ->  
- Reflexive 
- Diffusive (Not as a structural organization)  
- Variable explanation to caste  
- Committed to Weberian idea that caste to be studied historically & empirically than as 
good or bad.  
Book -> “Caste, Class & Power” 
Village Study ->Sripuram Vill, Tanjore, T.N. 
1) Variable dimensions of stratification in vill.-> 
a. Caste -> Status by birth 
b. Class -> Status by economic 
c. Power -> Status by Pol. Networking  
 
2) Dynamism -> Inter & Intra caste hierarchy  
Sripuram -> Brahmins – Ayangars, Non – Ayangars 
Super – segmentary nature.  
Various sub – castes formed at various times.  
Therefore, caste is dynamic. Refuses to die. Can never be replaced by class. 
 
3) Caste & Class ->Subcastes have endogamy  
Because, within caste there is economic variation.  
Therefore, Poverty another reason of social exclusion  
(LD said -> Purity & Pollution), (AB said -> Poverty & Pollution) 
 
Therefore, can’t be concluded that stratification is only caste driven.  
 
4) “Caste old & New” (Book) – (Dismissal of theory of Y. Singh Modernity)  
Indian social structure, 3 district features:  
a) Caste – Hierarchical system  
b) Jajmani – Interdependence & Vertical ties  
c) Hindu Value System – Hierarchical grading of values 
Now -> Emergence of egalitarian, rational, modern value system.  
Change visible. But caste Elastic. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Earlier -> Strong relation b/w caste, class, power  
Caste 1 = Class 1 = Power 1 (Cumulative Privileged) 
Now -> caste 1 = class 5 = power 10. Various P&C Possible. 
Caste Old -> Cumulative 
Caste New -> Dispersed 
Still, Brahmins -> Professors |  
Kshatriya -> Police, Army  
Vaishyas -> Business  
Shudras -> class IV employees 
Therefore, Caste developed cracks but not collapsed.  
 
5) As a Critic to Louis Dumont -> 
L.D. -> Caste, unique to India, gives status by Birth. 
A.B. -> Not unique. Queen, Nobility, Pope on the basis of their affiliation or birth. 
- Religious status not prerogative of birth, can be achieved.  
Guru Nanak, Buddha, Sai Baba, etc. achieved it 
- L.D. is Manusmriti, telling what society ought to be, then what it is. 
Ignore challenges to Brahminism.  
 
L.D -> Only caste, Produces hierarchy  
A.B -> caste, class, power  
 
L.D -> India H.H. (Bad) | West -> H.E. (Good)  
A.B -> There is religious revivalism in west, Secularization in India. 
 
Page 4


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Sociology Paper – 2 
ii) Caste System: 
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, 
Andre Beteille. 
Features of caste system. 
Untouchability - forms and perspectives. 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Andre Beteille 
View on caste ->  
- Reflexive 
- Diffusive (Not as a structural organization)  
- Variable explanation to caste  
- Committed to Weberian idea that caste to be studied historically & empirically than as 
good or bad.  
Book -> “Caste, Class & Power” 
Village Study ->Sripuram Vill, Tanjore, T.N. 
1) Variable dimensions of stratification in vill.-> 
a. Caste -> Status by birth 
b. Class -> Status by economic 
c. Power -> Status by Pol. Networking  
 
2) Dynamism -> Inter & Intra caste hierarchy  
Sripuram -> Brahmins – Ayangars, Non – Ayangars 
Super – segmentary nature.  
Various sub – castes formed at various times.  
Therefore, caste is dynamic. Refuses to die. Can never be replaced by class. 
 
3) Caste & Class ->Subcastes have endogamy  
Because, within caste there is economic variation.  
Therefore, Poverty another reason of social exclusion  
(LD said -> Purity & Pollution), (AB said -> Poverty & Pollution) 
 
Therefore, can’t be concluded that stratification is only caste driven.  
 
4) “Caste old & New” (Book) – (Dismissal of theory of Y. Singh Modernity)  
Indian social structure, 3 district features:  
a) Caste – Hierarchical system  
b) Jajmani – Interdependence & Vertical ties  
c) Hindu Value System – Hierarchical grading of values 
Now -> Emergence of egalitarian, rational, modern value system.  
Change visible. But caste Elastic. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Earlier -> Strong relation b/w caste, class, power  
Caste 1 = Class 1 = Power 1 (Cumulative Privileged) 
Now -> caste 1 = class 5 = power 10. Various P&C Possible. 
Caste Old -> Cumulative 
Caste New -> Dispersed 
Still, Brahmins -> Professors |  
Kshatriya -> Police, Army  
Vaishyas -> Business  
Shudras -> class IV employees 
Therefore, Caste developed cracks but not collapsed.  
 
5) As a Critic to Louis Dumont -> 
L.D. -> Caste, unique to India, gives status by Birth. 
A.B. -> Not unique. Queen, Nobility, Pope on the basis of their affiliation or birth. 
- Religious status not prerogative of birth, can be achieved.  
Guru Nanak, Buddha, Sai Baba, etc. achieved it 
- L.D. is Manusmriti, telling what society ought to be, then what it is. 
Ignore challenges to Brahminism.  
 
L.D -> Only caste, Produces hierarchy  
A.B -> caste, class, power  
 
L.D -> India H.H. (Bad) | West -> H.E. (Good)  
A.B -> There is religious revivalism in west, Secularization in India. 
 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Therefore, Nature of social change, a matter of degree than a matter of kind b/w India & 
west.  
 
6) On caste & Politics –  
Critical of caste based reservation.  
1) Kills meritocracy 
2) Rise of Pathological D.O.L. 
3) Makes caste consciousness stronger  
4) Emphasizing historic wrongs then contemporary needs. 
5) Creating vertical division 
6) Killing spirit of constitution by prolonging it.  
On Politics & Caste: 
1) In America, various social forces like class, gender, colour influence voting 
behavior.  
In India -> Produces, reproduces & perpetuates caste, which influences voting 
behavior. 
2) Caste not the only factor in politics. Friendship, leadership matter. 
Why rise of Primordial identities (caste, family, religion) 
- As a reaction to oppression  
- As a method of Self –assertion  
- For maintenance of Status – que 
7) Dynamics of caste than Statics: 
Caste not an institution but an empirical reality.  
Strengthened by – Culture, Economy, Religion, Ideology. 
Criticism- 
- Gail Omvedt : Over emphasized change in caste  
- Overall Anand Chakravarty: Hegemonistic domination not studied  
- Y. Singh : Every study lacks PIO 
- Etc. 
  
Page 5


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Sociology Paper – 2 
ii) Caste System: 
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, 
Andre Beteille. 
Features of caste system. 
Untouchability - forms and perspectives. 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Andre Beteille 
View on caste ->  
- Reflexive 
- Diffusive (Not as a structural organization)  
- Variable explanation to caste  
- Committed to Weberian idea that caste to be studied historically & empirically than as 
good or bad.  
Book -> “Caste, Class & Power” 
Village Study ->Sripuram Vill, Tanjore, T.N. 
1) Variable dimensions of stratification in vill.-> 
a. Caste -> Status by birth 
b. Class -> Status by economic 
c. Power -> Status by Pol. Networking  
 
2) Dynamism -> Inter & Intra caste hierarchy  
Sripuram -> Brahmins – Ayangars, Non – Ayangars 
Super – segmentary nature.  
Various sub – castes formed at various times.  
Therefore, caste is dynamic. Refuses to die. Can never be replaced by class. 
 
3) Caste & Class ->Subcastes have endogamy  
Because, within caste there is economic variation.  
Therefore, Poverty another reason of social exclusion  
(LD said -> Purity & Pollution), (AB said -> Poverty & Pollution) 
 
Therefore, can’t be concluded that stratification is only caste driven.  
 
4) “Caste old & New” (Book) – (Dismissal of theory of Y. Singh Modernity)  
Indian social structure, 3 district features:  
a) Caste – Hierarchical system  
b) Jajmani – Interdependence & Vertical ties  
c) Hindu Value System – Hierarchical grading of values 
Now -> Emergence of egalitarian, rational, modern value system.  
Change visible. But caste Elastic. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Earlier -> Strong relation b/w caste, class, power  
Caste 1 = Class 1 = Power 1 (Cumulative Privileged) 
Now -> caste 1 = class 5 = power 10. Various P&C Possible. 
Caste Old -> Cumulative 
Caste New -> Dispersed 
Still, Brahmins -> Professors |  
Kshatriya -> Police, Army  
Vaishyas -> Business  
Shudras -> class IV employees 
Therefore, Caste developed cracks but not collapsed.  
 
5) As a Critic to Louis Dumont -> 
L.D. -> Caste, unique to India, gives status by Birth. 
A.B. -> Not unique. Queen, Nobility, Pope on the basis of their affiliation or birth. 
- Religious status not prerogative of birth, can be achieved.  
Guru Nanak, Buddha, Sai Baba, etc. achieved it 
- L.D. is Manusmriti, telling what society ought to be, then what it is. 
Ignore challenges to Brahminism.  
 
L.D -> Only caste, Produces hierarchy  
A.B -> caste, class, power  
 
L.D -> India H.H. (Bad) | West -> H.E. (Good)  
A.B -> There is religious revivalism in west, Secularization in India. 
 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Therefore, Nature of social change, a matter of degree than a matter of kind b/w India & 
west.  
 
6) On caste & Politics –  
Critical of caste based reservation.  
1) Kills meritocracy 
2) Rise of Pathological D.O.L. 
3) Makes caste consciousness stronger  
4) Emphasizing historic wrongs then contemporary needs. 
5) Creating vertical division 
6) Killing spirit of constitution by prolonging it.  
On Politics & Caste: 
1) In America, various social forces like class, gender, colour influence voting 
behavior.  
In India -> Produces, reproduces & perpetuates caste, which influences voting 
behavior. 
2) Caste not the only factor in politics. Friendship, leadership matter. 
Why rise of Primordial identities (caste, family, religion) 
- As a reaction to oppression  
- As a method of Self –assertion  
- For maintenance of Status – que 
7) Dynamics of caste than Statics: 
Caste not an institution but an empirical reality.  
Strengthened by – Culture, Economy, Religion, Ideology. 
Criticism- 
- Gail Omvedt : Over emphasized change in caste  
- Overall Anand Chakravarty: Hegemonistic domination not studied  
- Y. Singh : Every study lacks PIO 
- Etc. 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
M.N. Srinivas 
View -> Field view. Str. Functionalist  
Books -> 
1) Caste among India & other Essays  
2) Society & Relation among the Coorgs of Mysore. 
4 Points: 
1) Varna & Caste  
2) Structure of caste & caste mobility  
3) Caste & Politics  
4) Secularization of caste  
 
(1) Varna & Caste  
India to be studied from caste perspective, not Varna. 
Easier view: caste outcome of Race or varna 
His view: Rigveda itself not sure if.  
- Varna = colour or Varna = occupation  
- Purusukta -> 4 varnas. 
Inter mixing of Color & occupation.  
Therefore, Varnas give a distorted image of Indian society.  
Also, Varna used as a readymade model of caste Indian Soc. which is Hierarchical 
(Western is Stratified) 
Diff. Castes at diff. Places understood uniformly because of varnas. Gave Regional Interlinkage. 
Therefore, Varna some form of functional inter-linkages. 
Inequality not necessarily permanent -> Sanskritisation 
Raj Gonds -> became Kshatriyas 
Chauhan ->Rajputs 
Yadavs -> Vanshi Kshatriyas, etc