All great ideas have to stand the test of time. An idea may be great for the period it was conceived, but later on the times change ..... and circumstances change..... and with this changes the relevance of the idea. One such idea is the idea of 'caste'.
May be when the Indian society was divided on caste lines, it was a great idea as it brought about labour division and led to greater efficiency. But the problem started when the society was divided into classes on caste lines; the class hierarchy followed exactly the same caste hierarchy, i.e. the same upper castes became the higher classes too. This was because the works ascribed to the upper classes automatically yielded greater remunerations than the works ascribed to the lower castes.
Another great folly was that generations to follow would automatically fall in the same caste and hence do the same job and would get the same remuneration!
However, the greatest of the problems is the component of 'untouchability' woven intricately in the caste system. It is a blot on humanity! How can one justify the idea of an individual not touching another???!!!
Thus, I believe, 'caste' as an idea has failed the test of time.
May be when the Indian society was divided on caste lines, it was a great idea as it brought about labour division and led to greater efficiency. But the problem started when the society was divided into classes on caste lines; the class hierarchy followed exactly the same caste hierarchy, i.e. the same upper castes became the higher classes too. This was because the works ascribed to the upper classes automatically yielded greater remunerations than the works ascribed to the lower castes.
Another great folly was that generations to follow would automatically fall in the same caste and hence do the same job and would get the same remuneration!
However, the greatest of the problems is the component of 'untouchability' woven intricately in the caste system. It is a blot on humanity! How can one justify the idea of an individual not touching another???!!!
Thus, I believe, 'caste' as an idea has failed the test of time.
