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

The comparison between caste and class for more clarification to your point By Chakradhar Hadke (hadke1505@yahoo.co.in)

(European countries)

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.