The Past System

Jordan L.

Uhelski B2

     The Caste System has changed over India's history. In the past, the Caste System was used to organize discrimination based on ancestry. In more recent times, the Caste System is often times overlooked, because people do not care about what caste one is from anymore. The different ways people look at the caste system outlines the changes between traditional views in India, and modern veiws from Indians and Indian Americans. Although in 1947, when the modern constitution was established, untouchability was abolished, many former untouchables still experience racism from traditional thinkers who are stuck in their old ways. "The laws providing for the welfare of Dalits are often ignored" ("India's" 1). On the other hand, however, most Indian American students who I have talked to had no problem with what caste people they saw were from, because with their modern views, they did not see someone of a caste, they saw a fellow human being. In this way, the different outlooks on the caste system underline the differences in modern and traditional ideas.

"India's Caste System under Attack: The Dalit Movement." History Behind the Headlines: The Origins of Conflicts Worldwide, Volume 4. Gale Group, 2002.      Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History/>.

                      http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/files/images/070626_caste_0.jpg                    http://www.notmytribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/

                                This picture of an Indian woman protesting Castes                                Although words speak loudly, actions speak louder,

                                          brings out the modern perspective                                              and as some Indians loudly oppose discrimination

                                                    on the Caste system.                                            from the caste system, you can still see its grip in rural areas.

Mock Dialouge:

B: Hey there Apu.

A: Hi Bob.

B: Do you know what caste you are?

A: Yes. My parents came from a high class. I am better than you.

B: Hey thats not a fair thing to say; the caste system seems like its just an excuse to prejudge people.

A: It is, but it is also true. Theres a reason that they are in the class that they are in.

B: Thats not true. I think people who discriminate between castes are just stuck in their old ways, or trying to take advantage of others.

A: I think that people who follow the system are practicing traditions. If we become too modern, we lose our traditional ideals, and culture.

B: Hmm. I see your point.

A: I see yours too.