Caste in Pakistan!


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.

               

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