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Even in 2015 the caste system seems well in place with little change since it started thousands of years ago, my question is, do you EVER see it fully abolished? If so how long do you think it will take? Another hundred, two hundred or even several centuries?
A caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, if your parents are poor, you’re going to be poor, too. Same goes for being rich, if you’re a glass-half-full person.
The phrase caste system has been around since the 1840’s, but we’ve been using caste since the 1500’s. You might’ve heard about the caste system in India, but there are caste systems all over the world, where people are born into a position, like having a certain kind of job, and it’s hard to change. America prides itself on not having a caste system, because people can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps,” and janitors can go to Harvard.
So those who wish to point finger's at any other culture or country best get a reality check..American culture is all about those others separated and kept in their place!! If you want to deny it..look at Historical data!!
Even in 2015 the caste system seems well in place with little change since it started thousands of years ago, my question is, do you EVER see it fully abolished? If so how long do you think it will take? Another hundred, two hundred or even several centuries?
If it has no affect on your life what does it matter what India chooses for their Country and citizens?
I thought the caste system was abolished. I sure remember reading that a few years ago. It will take a few generations for the old habits to die out, but I think from a legal point of view castes no longer exist.
Its like segregation in the USA. Once it was abolished, it took a much longer time for the attitudes to die down. Even today, despite all the progress, many places in the USA remain voluntarily segregated. Kids of all colors go to the same schools, but in many of those schools the kids themselves for the most part stick with their colors. It takes time, that's all.
Caste-based discrimination is illegal in India (although almost impossible to enforce), and 60-75% of the population qualifies for India's version of affirmative action depending on the state (~50% of government positions and university slots depending on the state). However, you can't litigate social mores. Caste will remain a prevalent factor in socioeconomic mobility in rural areas as there is simply little socioeconomic mobility at all in rural life (land determines wealth and it gets passed on from generation to generation, and this plays a strong role in reinforcing caste). On the other hand, urban areas provide a lot more opportunities for socioeconomic mobility and the urban middle class cares more about whether you're a "respectable" person (educated, business minded, comes from "good" family, earns a good living, etc) rather than caste, although the socioeconomic effects of caste still exist in urban areas as well. This is mainly due to the dominance of "mom and pop" type of businesses (where skills and knowledge are passed down from generation to generation) in many sectors of the Indian economy (India's economic regulations actually protect these inefficient vehicles of commerce from the big, bad corporations).
American style socio-economic mobility doesn't exist in most countries, even many Western countries.
Every country and society in the history of the humanity has had a caste system.
So, the answer to your question is no.
Agreed.
Even if legally abolished, the caste system is woven into the fabric of their society. To obfuscate the castes would require a social engineering project of literally stripping people's identities and moving them around that would be far more Orwellian and disturbing than the caste system itself.
The best India could hope for is a dampening of discrimination based on castes through an increase in humanism.
No because india is backwards and will never become liberal enough (i dont mean american liberalism) to join other nations like China. India is so backwards, even China is ahead of it.
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