There were many differences between class and caste. Social class was a lot more lenient than the caste system, for it referred to more of the political and economic standing of a person. Different classes were often distinguished by the amount of money that each person or family could attain, or the amount of land they owned because in these second wave civilizations land was often times equivalent to wealth. It was easier to change classes than it was to change castes, for some merchants, who were looked down on by society may be able to amass great amounts of wealth and be able to move their way into the scholar-gentry class during the Han Dynasty. However, the caste system was extremely harsh, and it was nearly impossible to change your caste. Caste was one of the earliest social distinctions made in India, and was based on specialization of labor, …show more content…
In theses societies, such as India, the peace among the people was maintained because of the inequality of people in the caste system. The caste system made sure that everyone in society had their own place, which kept those who were the ‘untouchables’ or the shudras from rebelling, for fear of being reincarnated to an even worse place in their next lives. Similarly, the slave-based society in the Mediterranean supported the idea that social inequality was accepted because the slaves were used by the majority of people to carry out immense amounts of labor, and the class system in China. While there was a lot of support for the social inequalities, there was also resistance that occurred mostly on a small-scale. Some of this resistance included theft, defiance, sabotage. Whereas more large-scale resistance came in the form of rebellions such as those of Spartacus and the Yellow Turban Uprising peasant
Thousands of years ago, Indian society developed into a complex system based on different classes. This system was known as the Caste System. It separated Indians into different castes based on what class were born into. As thousands of years went by, this system grew larger and became further complex (Wadley 189). This system caused frustration for the Indian citizens because they were receiving inequality. Not only did the inequality and separation of the Indian society frustrate the citizens of India, but the imperialism Britain had upon them as well. In the early 20th century, Indian nationalists wanted to take a stand against the British rule and make India independent. The British created unfair laws that created a nationalist movement
Social Classes Throughout History The gap between different classes has always been very prominent in
Class can be defined as a way society separates people into groups based on their socioeconomic
Stratification systems, categorized people by class, gender, ethnicity, wealth/income. When people are categorized, start looking at different systems within the social system or social mobility. “The four main systems of stratification have been slavery, caste, estate, and class. Each of these systems allows greater or less flexibility in terms of social mobility. Social mobility is the ability to move up or down within a social stratification hierarchy” (Larkin, 2015). Slavery is a social status began with social norms allowing people to own others. The slaves had no wealth or power while under this social status. Caste systems are all aspects of social status are assigned at births and held forever,
Social class is a group in society having the same economic status as one another. Class could
...e most privileges, while the Dalit, or untouchables, remain the lowest and are subjected the same inhumane conditions.
The Caste system is a basic social structure, the top of the list is the Brahmans, Brahmans are made up of priests and scholars of Vedic literature, and is the most appreciated cast. Next on the list is Kshatriyas, the Kshatriyas are the warrior and served for ruler and royal families and they rank right below Brahmans. Next there are the Vaishyas, The main jobs that Vaishyas were: Being Traders, Cattle Farmers, Minor officials, and Merchants, and owned businesses, and had farm land these are regular/average people in the caste system. After that we have the Sudras, the main jobs the Sudras do are: Being workers, Servant, and Self Farmers these are the bottom of the caste system. And Last you have the
Caste systems were affected by philosophies and religion. Shown in the graphic organiser, “Father > son, older brother > younger brother… as taught in Confucianism…” This evidence shows of a simple caste system in China, a caste system that was not as strict as the Indian Caste System. These castes were separated by how much power a person had. A dad was more powerful than his son, and more powerful than his wife. This is the same thing with India. The Brahmins were more powerful than the Sudras. As shown by the research above, religion and philosophies affected the caste system in both India and China.
Social class has existed in our society since its foundation. Working class, middle class, upper middle class, or upper class, whatever your standing, social class can affect your place in society. Social class can be defined by where you live, who you talk to, where you get an education, even by the clothes you wear. These may not be definite determinants of social class, but categorization of people becomes easier when looking at these factors. In previous papers, I have claimed that social class is a result of capitalism. Though, I still believe this to be true, there are many factors that can affect social class and vice versa. Theorists have looked at different aspects of how these can affect social class. In my paper I am going to explore capitalism, stratification, racism, segregation, and education and their relationship with social class and how this can cause social conflict; I will have a primary focus of how Weber, DuBois, and Marx views this relationship.
In simple terms class is the status reached by an individual 's amount of economic assets. In every society people are organized based on their self prestige, self esteem, power to change their surroundings and influence on others (an
Social injustice in our society portrays the segregation of people among different types of groups. Throughout history, humans have been divided into different social classes from lowest to highest. People in the lower class experiences many hardships when it comes to living and are seen as inferior in society.
People were divided into different classes: upper, middle and lower classes. All these classes were treated differently and unfairly. The upper class were the highest of the classes; they were treated with the most. respect and honour of the people. Middle class then was divided into, upper and lower middle class.
The categorization of a caste descends as low as “untouchables.” This term was ascribed to people that were considered so tainted that they were not to be touched by the other castes, and they were not allowed to even be in sight of the upper class. One could postulate that this is quite similar to the antiquated belief that African Americans were “unclean” and should be segregated from Caucasians.
In each society, there are different types of rules and ideologies that are used in order to help govern its people. Within these communities, these rules create a social hierarchy developed through a ranked system based on either economic value or religious beliefs. A type of ranked system that most people are familiar with is the Caste System in India, which is a system of classification in a society based on birth. This complex social structure is most prevalent in India, where social hierarchy is in affiliation with Hinduism. It recognizes two concepts known as Varna and Jati. Varna is a word in Sanskrit meaning color and includes four main groups: the Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The fifth group, the most segregated caste in the system, is the Untouchables. Within each Varna contains an array of sub-caste called Jatis, which are also based on birth. The rules of the cases are governed through religious ideas of purity and pollution. These two socially constructed ideologies determine whether or not you were respected in the community. Caste assignments in India are predestined at birth rather than a personal choice. Individuals act and dress like those of their own caste in public, due to strict caste laws. Pressures of these rules tend to brainwash people into conforming into what society considers pure, as we’ll see in Kakar & Kakar’s reading. As human nature takes precedent, caste rules become less relevant. Indulging in one’s own desires or needs, especially during times of hardship, outweighs any types of rules that we’ll see in Freeman’s reading and the movie Distant Thunder. Though the caste system is such an intrinsic part of life, when faced with needs to survive, it becomes nothing more than just a...
In ancient times, many forms of stratification existed including slavery. Slavery was a system of stratification because it identified the slaves as one who were subjects of slave owners. They were being exploited by those people who owned them. The slaves were one of the lowest categories in any stratification system. They did not own any property and had no power at all.