India's Caste System--Response

I do not believe that India’s caste system should remain in place. Imagine how unfair it would be to be deemed a Shudra (the name for the caste of servants of menial laborers) the very moment you are born, and never be able to try to improve your caste. You can’t marry outside your caste, nor even have friends outside your caste. It’s not fair that your fortune in the caste system depends on whether or not you were lucky enough to be born into a high caste (like Brahmans or Kshatriyas). Long ago, Hindus believed that a caste system was an important way to keep order in society, because everyone had their specific duties to fulfill, called dharma. Today, it is not uncommon for low-cast Hindus to convert to Buddhism or Christianity in hopes of finding freedom and dignity. This shows that they did not like the unfairness of the caste system. Also, Hindus believed that you would move up a caste when you are reincarnated if you lived your life well. Today, this system is not being used correctly, because some people, like Gujjars (a low caste of farmers and shepherds), actually tried to move down to an even lower caste in order to get a government job. Therefore, India’s caste system should not remain—not just because it’s an unfair system, but also because it’s not being used correctly.

I do not believe that the businessmen’s reasons were justified. Sure, having tons of free labor was definitely a plus for landowners, but what about the slaves? You can’t justify enslaving a group of people—as well as denying them their basic human rights—with your own greedy needs. I don’t think that there is any justification for the enslavement of a group of people. Also, I do not believe that India’s caste system is justified. It’s not fair to the lower castes who are forced into a more difficult way of life. Originally, the caste system was meant to keep order in their society, and to give everyone a duty. However, trapping people in castes is like enslaving them, and as I said before, there is no justification for enslaving people. Therefore, the caste system is not justified.