The comparison between caste and class for more clarification to your point

August 15, 2011
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The comparison between caste and class for more clarification to your point

By Chakradhar Hadke (hadke1505@yahoo.co.in)

C L A S S
(European countries)
C A S T E
(India)
1. Formed as a result of control over food and protection of the exploited.
1, Formed as a result of control over food, protection and sex of the exploited.
2. Means of control : Politico-economic
2. Means of control: Politico-economic socio-cultural
3. Two classes: Armed, rich, ruling exploiting class and disarm, poor, exploited subjects.
3. Over 6000 castes based on graded politico-economic, socio-cultural inequality. The three upper castes- Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishya being armed superior, ruling, rich, educated upper castes and the rest disarmed, poor, uneducated, inferior, servile, slave caste.
4.  Language :Same for both the classes
4.  The upper castes had/have a private language (Sanskrit) of their own denying access to others. The rests speak over 1000 different languages.
5.  Advance tribes with better weapon subjugated the primitive tribes imposing their civilized base of living on the vanquished.
5.  The Aryans barbarians hordes subjugated the civilized Indians imposing their barbarian ways of living on the vanquished.
6. The intruders lost their separate identity.
6.  The Aryan intruders maintain their separate identity through a religious segregation policy.
7. The ruling class, the priestly class and the commercial exploiting class maintain their separate identity – The ruling class dominating over the other two.
7.  The priestly caste (Brahmin) dominate over the entire social status – The ruling Kshatritya and the Vaishya (Commercial exploiting caste) willingly submitting to the dictate of the Brahmins in a subordinate capacity/grade.
8.  The priestly class was the running dog of the other two.
8. The priestly class remains powerful dominating the other two exploiting castes also.
9. Anybody can become a priest.
9. Only a Brahmin can become a priest.
10.  The priests were/are are not gods on earth.
10. All the Brahmins (whether priests or not) are to be considered as gods on earth (Bhoodevatas).
11. Religion is not the source of class.
11. Religion is the source of caste.
12. Religion did not dominate over class relations.
12. Religion dominates over caste relations.
13.  The exploiting classes appropriated all the powers, rights and corresponding responsibilities.(i.e. The exploiting were not anti-social elements.
13. The priestly class appropriated all the rights, powers and privileges without any responsibilities.(i.e. Basically and Philosophically anti-social elements).
14.  The domination of the ruling classes allowed the liberating religions like Christianity and Islam to develop, annihilating the tribal religions.
14.  The domination of the priestly caste prevented the spread of liberating religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism etc and the tribal religions (Brahminism) prevailed in the deeper root.
15. The exploiting classes did not display acute enmity against the exploited.
15. The upper castes were/are the inveterate /make incurable the enemies (i.e. oppressed castes)
16. Exploitation is mostly physical.
16.  Exploitation is not only physical but much more mental. Controls every aspect of life.
17. No person was barred from occupying any post of authority.
17.  All the oppressed caste and all women (over 95%) were barred from occupying any post of authority.
18. Any person of caliber could occupy any post of authority.
18. Only the Brahmin, even if he is an idiot, is permitted to occupy any post of authority.
19.  No Untouchability, Unseeability, unapproachability, unthinkability is practiced.
19.  Untouchability, unseeability, unapproachability and Unthinability are part of the upper caste way of life.
20.  Does not deliberately prevent the advancement of the exploited.
20.  Deliberately preventing the advancement of the oppressed castes is part of the upper caste philosophy.
21. Education not prohibited to the exploited.
21. Education deliberately denied to the oppressed castes and women with cruel penalties for violation.
22. May/may not inherit by birth.
22.  Everybody inherits by birth.
23.  Free entry and exit.
23.  No entry. Exit invites upper caste wrath and terrorism.
24. Generally the rich dominate over the poor.
24.  The Brahmins (not necessarily rich) dominate over everybody.
25.  Burning alive of widows not practiced.
25.  Burning alive of widows is part of religion.
26.  Female infanticide not practiced.
26.  Female infanticide is part of religious practice.
27.  Countries territorially small with hardly any diversity that helped the exploited to unite and fight against their exploiters/intruders.
27. Territorial vastness with the consequent diversity prevented any unified effort against the upper castes combine/intruders.
28.  The priestly class and the commercial exploiting class joined hands with the exploited to throw out the barons.
28.  The dominant priestly caste deliberately scuttled every social intercourse with the oppressed castes.
29.  The middle class produced intellectual giants that questioned the establishment from within.
29.  No middle class. No intellectual was produced. No attack on the establishment from within.
30.  No bar on inter-dining and inter-class marriages.
30.  Inter-dining and inter-caste marriages prohibited.
31.  Exploiting classes adopt themselves to changing conditions.
31.  Upper castes stick to tribal brahminism and crave for prehistoric times.
32.  The exploiting class is the open enemy.
32.  The upper caste are selfish, using cunning and crafty methods. Hence the enemy is disguised.
33.  The exploiting class wealth is well exhibited and their manners fastidious/choosy.
33.  The upper caste appear simple in public, at times without even a shirt and appear contented.
34.  Both classes socially equal.
34.  Social inequality is the official philosophy.
35.  All are equal before god.
35.  God himself is said to have created varnas/castes with graded inequality.
36.  Exploiting classes were not traitors to their country.
36.  Upper castes bartered away national interests for selfish gains.
37.  Every person is a patriot in defending his motherland.
37.  Upper castes never produced a selfless patriot and never allowed others to become one.
38.  At present: post-feudal society.
38.  predominantly feudal and pre-feudal.
39.  Social development: progressive.
39.  Reactionary with progressive phrases on the tongue.
40. Classes same in various states.
40.  Castes differ from state to state.
41.  Successful people’s movements benefited most of the people. Leadership developed from exploited class.
41.  Successful people’s movements benefited only the upper castes. Leadership growth from oppressed castes deliberately suppressed.
42.  Revolution possible.
42.  Revolution impossible.
43.  Historical background worth remembering.
43. Historical background shameful.
44.  Outlook : Collective.
44.  Outlook : base and individualistic.
45.  Linguistic and cultural uniformity present.
45.  Linguistic and cultural diversity rampant.
46.  Class antagonism decreasing due to moderation in the behaviour of the exploiting class.
46.  Caste antagonism increasing due to rigidity of the upper castes and state support to caste hatred.
47.  Change of occupation not necessary to abolish class.
47.  Change of caste occupation necessary to abolish caste.
48.  Class changes with a change in economic condition.
48.  Caste does not change with change in economic condition.
49.  Caste is not part of class. No caste.
49.  Class is a microscopic part of caste. No class.
50. Does not dominate over caste relations.
50.  Dominates over class relations also.
51. Exploiting classes openly attack socialist system, don’t make false promises.
52.  Upper castes deceive the oppressed castes by uttering socialist slogans and promising socialism. Promise heaven for a fee.
52.  Exploiting classes do not wear masks to deceive the voters.
52.  Upper casts wear masks, tacitly using casteism to remain in power, uttering socialist and secular slogans to prevent the oppressed castes from organizing on baste basis.
53.  Removal of politico-economic exploitation abolishes class.
53.  Removal of politico-economic exploitation will not abolish caste.
54.  Industrialization and urbanization sharpens class contradictions.
Industrialization and urbanization blunts caste sensibility and caste contradictions.
55.  Labour was paid wages in cash or kind.
55.  No wages to the labour. They had to work for a handful of cooked food.
56.  Communists succeeded in raising class consciousness.
56.  Communists failed in creating class outlook.
57.  No confusion in analyzing/determining class relations.
57.  Too much of confusion in analyzing/determining the inter-wined caste-class relations.
58.  Annihilation of class not possible so long as the exploiting class remains in power.
58.  Annihilation of caste not possible so long as the upper caste (including upper caste communists) remain in power.
59.  Annihilation of class ushers socialistic pattern of society.
59.  Annihilation of caste will usher society.
60.  Class conscious: Remedy: Class struggle by sharpening class contradictions.
 
60. Caste conscious: Remedy: Caste struggle by sharpening caste contradictions.
61.  Guiding doctrine: Marxist method applied to present day concrete conditions.
51.  Guiding doctrine: Ambedkarite method applied to present day concrete conditions to capture political power and annihilate casteism. And then Marxist method applied to the then prevailing concrete conditions.

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