Caste System Research Paper

Caste systems are a necessity in any world, and without hierarchies there would be no order and control. One can say that this hierarchy is usually accompanied by some form of oppression, because with one person having a higher level of power, such as in the government vs. the people, there is always tyranny. In order for any society to run smoothly, there has to be domination, which is typically from the government.

The basic idea of caste systems throughout the world is to divide human species into different groups based on physical or behavioral differences. The caste system originated in India and is about a “hierarchical socioeconomic organization of society that evolved around India's ancient civilizations”, and later spread around the world, “a new way of life brought with it a need for governance and order, defense and conquest, learning and trade, laborers and artisans. Roles began to be defined and people were classified according to their function, occupation and economic place in society.” (“Caste System in India.”Anand & Kulbir, 2009.) The Hindu system divided their people into different castes, which showed their levels of dominance as well as inequality. 
 Much like the caste systems in India, George Orwell's’ 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World both portray human worthiness based on caste systems, a system which only benefits the higher authorities within their communities. The totalitarian control in both Brave New World and 1984 can be seen through an oppressive government which controls and strips their people of rights to freedom and prosperity. In brave new World oppression is seen through the use of soma, a drug given to the people to help them cope with life and the societal restrictions, the depr...

... middle of paper ...

...(for "father" was not so much obscene as–with its connotation of something at one remove from the loathsomeness and moral obliquity of child-bearing–merely gross, a scatological [since it rarely occurred] rather than a pornographic impropriety); the comically smutty word relieved what had become a quite intolerable tension” (Orwell.151) The word ‘Father’ clearly had a huge affect on the witnesses because it was almost foreign in their everyday language.

Overall some individuality must be suppressed in order to insure stability and ‘happiness’ in a society. Caste systems are also set up too provide organization and hierarchies, and when these two aspects of a community are practiced oppression is nearly inevitable. Brave New World, and 1984 both support the idea that the less fortunate are left to defend themselves in a world where meritocracy is strongly executed.