Nature & Characteristics of Caste in Pakistan!
· It is a permanent group having its status ascribed at birth. Its membership is unchanging.
· This group is hereditary. In Pakistan and India, the cast system is found. Every person assigns himself with specific caste or sub-caste. In rural areas of Punjab, one is recognized by one’s caste only. Now in Pakistan there are lacks of castes and their sub-castes.
· “When position is unquestionably controlled so that men are born to their lot without any hope of changing it, then the class takes the life-threatening system of caste” define by Mr. McIver and page.
1. Cast – as a classified detachment of society. In grade system, clusters are divided in a hierarchical position on the basis of caste.
2. Close group: caste is a close group and members can’t change their caste.
3. Sub-culture: every caste has its own sub-culture in which certain things are prescribed and mandatory to follow her members. On the other hand, some things are prohibited to do for members.
4. Social control: caste has its own informal method of social control.
a) Merits of Caste:
· Caste has a certain merits
v The members of a caste having intermarriage make a Biradari. This belonging to one caste creates social solidarity among the people.
v The norms of a caste are forceful upon its members in such a way that if he violates them he is thrown out of Biradari as ostracized.
v Castes are mostly endogamous. Marriage within the people of the same caste is easy and more adjusting than between the two different castes.
b) Demerits of caste:
· There are certain demerits of caste:
v Caste creates ethnocentrism among its members and they think of themselves as superior to others. This creates hatred among people of different caste.
v The norms of a caste are so rigid that social change in them is considered a serious violation. It means social mobility among the people of a caste remains slow.
v The new elements of change are discouraged within a caste.
v Marriage out of caste is considered violation of its norms; it means the circle of social relations remains limited.
