CLASS AND ITS ROLE IN INDIAN POLITICSWhat is Class? The class system is a system of stratification of society on the basis of education, property, business/work etc. Sociology as a subject deals with the Class System and providesdefinitions and understanding of teh subject of class in society.
Karl Max
- 'Man is a class animal' i.e. his status age, education etc are not same in the society.
Common Basis For Division Of Class
Property – capitalist & the poor – the haves & the have nots.
Education - Illiterate & literate
Business or Occupation - farmers, clerk officers, industrialists etc.In general, class consciousness is a must in the class system. There must be the we feeling. Thecharade of in group given by Summer is found in the class system – I belong? Identifying oneself in a particular group or family is the key. The behavior of a person is fixed due to their classconsciousness. Trade union is a result of class consciousness. These is feeling of superiority &inferiority in class syst. The higher has the feeling superiority & the lower class feels inferior. Inthese classes too there is sub classes as Upper Open class, middle upper class, lower upper class;lower middle class, middle class; upper lower class, middle lower class, to lower2 class. Classsystem is open in character. Because it is based on a variety of things like age, sex etc. Also one
can change one's less easily. The people of lower class may enter the upper class & those of theupper class may become members of the lower class.
Definition Of Class System
Following are some of the class system definitions as per sociologists.
P.Gisbert -
"A social class is a category or group of persons having a definite status in societywhich permanently determines their relation to other group – feeling of superiority &inferiorities. The relative position of the class in the social scale arises from the degree of prestige attached to the status.
Mac Iver & Page -
"A social class is any portion of community marked off thefrom the rest by social status 'Ongburn & Nimk off. A social class is the aggregateof persons having essentially the same social status in a given society." i.e. a classconsciousness.
Max weber –
held that "classes are aggregate of individuals who have the sameopportunities of acquiring goods. The same exhibited standard of living.
Hoebal
defines "A social class is a group within a society, whose members hold ano. of distinctive status in common & who trough the operation of roles associated
with these status, develop are awareness of the life interest as against the unliketrait & interest of other groups."In general "A social class consists of group of individuals who are ranked by themembers of the community in socially superior inferior position."
Characteristics of Class System:
1.Class system is based on occupation, wealth, education, age and sex.2.Hierarchy of status group. In general there are 3 class – upper middle &tower. Status, prestige & role is attached. Upper class are less in no in comparisonto the other two whereas their status & prestige is most. This is like a pyramid.Karl max (Rich & poor) preliterate &3.Feeling of superiority & inferiority. In these 3 classes there are such feelingsthe upper class people feel they are superior to the other two whereas the lower class feels it is inferior to the upper class.4.Class consciousness – wherever a class is formed this feeling aconsciousness is a must. There should be feeling of in group i.e. I belong classconflict is due to this the people of the preliterate class feel the upper class exploits
them their they unite revolt. The behavior action is determined by this classconsciousness.5.Sub-classes, class is divided into different groups. Similar to caste system,the class system is divided.6.Class system is an open system.7.There's social restriction in this too. In general there is endogamy in a class.To maintain their status & position they mix among themselves & it is seldom thatmarriage between upper & lower class is wished. Distinction between Caste &class. They are the two phenomena of social stratification (Stratification is divisionof society on the basis of birth).
Difference between Class and Caste system
S.No.CasteClass1.
Based on birthBirth, education, wealth etc.2.In general there are 3000 castes &sub-castes in India.Whereas class has subclasses (basedon different things)3.Caste is a closed groupWhereas Class is an open system4.Even Sanskritisation is unable tochange casteWhereas class can be changed quieteasily.5.Caste is hereditary 6.Caste is a closed class. A child of Brahmin will always be a Brahmin.But there is no such thing in class.