Saturday, January 29, 2022

Social Stratification and politics; Caste, class and elites - B.A Political Science Notes - Paper VIII

 


Social stratification and politics

Caste class and elites

 

Introduction: 

The word social stratification request then to the idea that society is divided into a patterned structure of unequal groups. Which tense to persist across generation. It is one of the most important characteristics of societies.

 Definition

According to Gilbert "Social stratification is the division of society into permanent groups of categories linked with each other by a relationship of superiority and subordination."

 According to Lundberg he defined as "A stratification society is one marked by inequality by differences among people that are evaluated by them as being lower and higher."

 

R.W Murray says, “Social stratification is a horizontal division of society into higher and lower social units."

 

The role of caste in the politics of India

Caste has been a predominant aspect of social and political life of India. Its position as one of the most ancient and deeply rooted features of the Indian. Social system has been a major factor in the functioning of the Indian political system. The study of Indian social system and its influence on the Indian political system essentially involved a study of the role of caste in Indian politics.

 

Main features of Indian caste system

 Sociology is like Hutton, Ghurye, Dutta and several others describe the following main features of Indian caste system.

1.    Member of a particular caste cannot marry outside their caste.

2.    In every caste there are certain restrictions upon all members regarding goods, drink and social intercourse.

3.    In most cases there is fix occupation for particular caste.

4.     There are hierarchical gradations  among the castes and the most recognized position is that of brahmins.

5.    The prestige of the Brahmin caste is the cornerstone of the whole organization.

 

Caste and Indian democracy

 

The role of caste in Indian politics by referring to the views of the some well known authorities.

1.    Views of Pranjpe: caste has been played a significant role in Indian politics. Panjpe has observed, " Since majorities make a government in democracies, many small groups must join to form a majority in a constituency. Certain caste group comprise a sizeable proportion of voters in a constituency so that discuss can gain a working majority by compromising with some other caste group.

2.    Views of Rudolphus: Professor Rudolphus says that within the new contexts of political democracy, caste remains as Central elements of India's society even which adapting itself to the values and methods of democratic politics. Indeed, it has become one of the chief means by which the Indian masses have been attached to the process of Democratic politics.

 

Caste as an important of Indian politics

 

The Role of caste in the Indian political system can be specifically discussed as the following:

 

1.    Caste factor in political socialization and leadership recruitment; Different group have their loyalties behind different political parties and their ideologies. Right from his birth and Indian citizen in hair rate take caste and group up as a member of a particular caste group. Caste values and caste interests influence his socialization and consequently his political thinking, awareness and participation.

2.    Caste and party politics; caste factor is a constituent of the Indian party system. Some political parties have a direct cost basis while others indirectly based upon particular caste group. In particular the Regional parties stand predominantly influence by the caste factor like DMK and AIADMK in the state of Tamil Nadu.

3.    Caste and election; the cost factor is an important factor of electoral politics in India. All political parties give great weightage to the caste factor in selecting their candidates in allocating constituencies to their candidate and in canvassing support from their nominees in the election.

4.    Caste and the exercise of power by a political party; Since caste is a major factor of the Indian society and acts as an important factor in various processes of politics. It also plays a big role in the decision making process. Caste factor Influence the policies and decision of the state government, the party in power always tries to use its decision making power to win the favour of major caste group.

5.    Caste and Indian Constitution; Though the spirit of secularism can clearly performed in the constitution for stop yet in a limited in indirect way it recognises the caste system it in the form of providing for caste based reservation. Reservations of seat for the SC and ST in the union Parliament and the state legislative assembly Article 330 and Article 332 as well as in public service reflect these features.

6.    Caste and political leadership; Caste has been emerging as a factor in the process of leadership recruitment. The leadership of Shri Kanshi Ram and Ms Mayawati is caste based. So was the leadership of Ch. Charan Singh in UP. The leadership of Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar is again an example of caste based reservation.

 Indian Constitution

 The constitutions of India and several laws made under it have attacked the Indian Caste system with a view to weaken it. Particularly for eliminating the evils of the caste system including the inhuman evils of untouchability.

 

The objectives of the following features are as follows;

 

1.    The Preamble to the Indian Constitution reforms four faith in popular sovereignty and recognise the sovereign equality of all the people of India.

2.    People of India have declared India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic consisting of all people of India without any discrimination.

3.    The state of India is governed by the objective of securing the Welfare and development of all the people of India.

4.     The constitution seeks to secure justice, equality and fraternity for all the people of India.

5.    Every person in India has been granted the right to religious freedom.

6.    The system of protective discrimination has been adopted for securing social equality.

7.    Untouchability has been adopted for securing social equality.





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