caste system by Lea Seik

General information:

The caste system is the classification of people in special groups in a country. Mainly in India, the caste system survives and still influence the life of the people.






1.India:

In India, there is the caste system since 3000 years.
It's still very typical to divide the people in different groups of humans. It is a hierarchie, an order of good and bad people, which has to show the people their position in the society.
The caste system orientate itself mostly at the religion of the people, their affiliation, it means who they marriage and what they work.
There are some rules for the caste system and the people have to follow them. For example, it isn't possible to marry someone or to eat with a person from another caste and especially for the Pariah, it's very sad because they can't change their life in a better way. The poor humans from the last caste can't go into the temple to pray there; it isn't allowed to touch persons from higher castes.

1.1.Structure:

Everyone in his caste has a special task:
In the first case (Brahmins), there are mostly the rich and respected persons like priests or teachers. They are supposed to teach and to lead the population.
The second case (Kshatriyas) consists of warriors, who have to safe the country and defend the people if it's necessary.
In the third case (Vaisyas), there are the businessmen and the famers who provide the nation with necessities.
The second last, but also very important case (Sudras) is represented by workers. Everyone of them help the generality with their jobs, which support the survival of the country.
And in the last, but not worth mentioning case for the Indians (Pariah) are the poor people, the beggars and the workers from the street, who have to do dirty jobs like cleaning the street

1.2.Religion:

For the Indians, it is very important to believe in a God. Hinduism is the main religion. (You get more informations in Sarahs article)

1.3.Karma:

The Hindus think, that they will be reborn after their first life. But for that, it's very important, how much karma they have collected in their life and it decides their life after the death. The Karma is like collecting points of good and bad acts in the life of the Hindus. If you have enough good karma, you'll have a better life than before, maybe also in a higher caste. Persons with more bad karma are going to be plantes or animals.
Every person wants to reach the "Nirvana", a mental and emotional state which is similar to the paradise. But only with enough good karma, it is possible to stop the rebirth and go to the “Nirvana“.



2. Problem:

The caste system is a big problem in India. There are still people, who live like nomads in tribes, spread over the country. There are as many poor people as nowhere else. The “Untouchables“ are a big mortgage for India, although it became a democratic and modern country in the last decade. Since the declaration of independece in 1947, India had no chance of coming out of their crise. The differences between the religions, the conflicts of interests and the caste system lead India more and more into trouble.
In the history of this country, there were some very important characters, who lead India into a democratic and independent state with a lot of industrial power. For example Mahatma Gandhi, who recognized the problem of the caste system and tried to abolish this system. He wanted to introduce a new political order, which gave India the independence and the freedom back but couldn't abolish the casten system completly.

Nowadays, the regime in India provide some apprenticeships and jobs to the people from the last caste, from which the most on the street live. Position at the universities and in the parliaments gave these people a little bit hope back.



3.Conclusion:

The caste system was just a political decision of deporting the poors out of their nationality and they tried to built a good working society, without any problems and victims, who only pollute the nation and the country.
I hope, India will recognize, that this system doesn't work. They have to understand, that it isn't allowed and legitimate to distinguish between people. In the constitution of Germany, there is one important sentence, which should apply over the world:
“The dignity of men is unimpeachable. “



This interview gives you a good and short overview about the general information, the history and the latest situation: