Caste System Essay

The history of caste systems, or at least the concept of a caste system, is known and seen by most westerners today. While an obvious caste system does not exist in places such as the United States today, there are obvious classes divided by money that share qualities of that of the caste system that “used to” thrive in India. The caste system in India was started when the Aryans, a lighter skinned people, came down into India and established a hierarchy that not so coincidentally had lighter people

One important element of the caste system is the concept of “begar”, or the requirement of Dalits to provide service without payment. Traditionally, this entailed undertaking the most undesirable jobs as a contribution to the community, a category that includes agricultural work. As a cultural norm, “begar” has endured into modern times, and is often exploited by landowners as a means of sanctioning a system of debt bondage. The fact that Dalits are typically landless means that they are oftentimes

expensive, more overcrowded, more militarized, and the most aggressive in the country’s history. It is fair to say the system is racist, but even if we took all people of color out of prison, leaving only the white majority, we would still be over-incarcerated. Our nation would still face awful police brutality, and we would still need to reform our corrupted criminal justice system. As a whole, the United States has a larger problem than simply the police. 80 billion dollars a year of American taxes

America would like to believe that we do not live in a caste system but if asked anyone living in the inner city would say otherwise. A class system exists that is built on individual’s achievements but elements of a caste system are certainly practiced in the United States. Power and wealth is distributed amongst only 1 percent of the U.S population, therefore, their wealth is inherited from generation to generation, segregated from the rest of the population. Consequently, the ghetto poor families

Within Hinduism, the caste system is another aspect that lays foundational ground for taboos. The caste system is a segregation system that separates the people of Hinduism into five types of social groups. At the top of the pyramid-like social latter are Brahmins, or the priests. Next, there are Khsatriyas, the warriors. This class is followed by the Vaishyas (landowners, merchants) then the Shudras (servants). Lastly, there are the Untouchables. These people are below all other caste levels. As the

The different belief systems allowed for rulers to maintain power in their empires. The systems would enforce their right to rule. For example, Alexander the Great affirmed the divinity of his rule to the Egyptians when an oracle confirmed that he was the son of Zeus Amon. As the Mauryan Empire reached its peak, when Buddhism was adopted as the official religion. It was essential to maintaining imperial unity. In addition, Ashoka declared himself to be a universal monarch. Inscriptions of decrees

popular beliefs,” (“Beliefs Made Visible” 4). A system assigned by birth and social class is well known and used in this religion, otherwise known as a Caste System. In their respective groups, individuals will be born into these groups and must stay in their separate group until their death (“The Caste System” 1). It is divided into four categories: Brahmin (priests, scholars), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaishya (traders) and Shudra (laborers), (“Hindu Caste System” 1). Followers of Hinduism holds a belief

long because they were too expensive and their labor was limited. This is when chattel slavery became introduced, where black slaves were thought of as property and were sold, traded or inherited. This system was beneficial and profitable to the US economy and therefore was kept. A caste system came into effect with blacks and people of color at the very bottom. Along the end of the Civil War (1861-1865) came the

has seen many civilizations. One of the most prominent civilizations in southern Asia was ancient India. Ancient India was well known for their caste system. The caste system is believed to have been created around 1500 BCE. It separated the people of ancient India into four groups that determined their significance. The brahmins made up the highest caste with priests and religious leaders. The second group was the kshatriyas and they were the kings and warriors. Third were the vaishyas. They were

The Hindu caste system comprised of thousands of different castes. The castes original consisted of the four varnas or colors that are talked about in ancient Hindu literature. The Bhagavad Gita teaches individuals have obligations and duties of their caste that must be followed to avoid karma. These obligations along with acceptance of the caste system would be an insurmountable barrier to the establishment, and wide acceptance of the Hindu religion in the United States. The United States is