India

The structure of the caste system is based on religious beliefs of reincarnation as a justification for social inequality and the oppression of the lower classes/ castes. It must be my modernized form of thinking, but I find it unfair. The caste system limits the power to those who are higher up in society using the excuse of reincarnation and putting a punishment and reward as a system of justice that is based on a belief that cannot be proven or unproven. Those in the lower castes, mainly the untouchables, had rights significantly less respected by others and even the rights that they did have, were not very good. Also, depending on the caste, privileges and opportunities varied meaning that way of life was limited and the ones abilities therefore were also limited. 

Due to my lack of knowledge in the religion along with its values and its morals, my opinions can be argued as malformed and inaccurate but from what I do know and as was said in class, the caste system as was said in class, was used by those in power, to maintain power. The main way that this was achieved was through the statement in the caste system that limited the ability of an individual to improve his or her social situation. I think such limitations are inhumane because one cannot improve their lives and one cannot try to make their descendants have a better lifestyle, which is something widely done nowadays by societies outside of the caste system. 


In the reading about India's caste system, it said something about the motivating power of religion and how it has shown throughout history to be a force that cannot be denied because of its influential power. So really, while religion can and does have its positives, it also have a few negatives, and the way many individuals in power have used it has been negatively. In India, the caste system was accepted by many as a fact and an unchangeable way of life, I believe many must have also resented it. I wish I knew how the caste system came to be since it’s pretty elaborate and complex. I think that it must have put those with power in a position where they were admired by a few because to be in such high castes, they must have down something really good in their previous life…