Caste VS Class
Caste VS Class
Depend
mainly on
Indian sub- Status economic
continent Group differences
only
Both Not
Known as hierarchical established
closed by legal or
classes Both are religious
ideological or provisions
constructed
Organic systems
No formal
system
restrictions
CLASS
SIMILARITIES
CASTE They both center around social status, and
Between groupings of individuals—
one of the best-known forms of close inequalities in possession and control
in both, people are divided into several
system of stratification. While it is a of material resources—whereas in
ranks.
social system of decreasing caste system non-economic factors
importance, it still holds in parts of such as influence of religion [theory of
Meaning they are organized like a ladder,
rural India, and has a strong legacy karma, rebirth and ritual (purity-
with a few people on the top rungs, more
across the country. pollution)] are most important.
people on the various middle rungs, and
many crowded on the bottom rungs.
It is a closed system of stratification Membership is not based on inherited
in which almost all sons end up in position as specified either legally or
hat are strongly buffered with a narrative
precisely the same stratum their by custom. On the other hand, the
that states the system in question reflects a
fathers occupied. membership is inherited in the caste
divine plan or order. In the West, the idea of
system.
a "great chain of being" envisioned the
Caste system is an organic system
entire universe organized hierarchically,
but class has a segmentary character on inter-dining and inter-marriage
with God on top and then a descending
where various segments are between people from different classes
order ending somewhere with insects or
motivated by competition (Leach, as is found in the caste system.
very simple life forms.
1960). Endogamy is the essence of caste
system which is perpetuating it.