Social Classes: The Caste System

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Pages: 2

In one of the more recent Sociology classes, we discussed the caste systems and class system and how they are alike and different. The textbook describes the caste system as a type of ranking in society that is done through the process of biological birth into an occupation and role in society. It is most commonly found in Hinduism with the four classes being the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. While the other system is the class system which can rank and sort importance of individuals in society by any demographic feature like wealth, gender, religious views, or race. Both have many negatives and positives too them and their isn’t exactly an ideal system in place.
Personally, as an American, I live in a class system society that puts wealth and education as the most important characteristics in sorting out the elites from the poor lower class. I prefer this type of system as their are no strict labels given to people like in the caste system and also the class system gives people the opportunity to climb a ladder to the top, while a caste system forces you to stay in one single spot your whole life with no chance to become better. As someone who is consider to be in the working class, the system gives me motivation to strive to be in the most wealthy, elite, and powerful class and in exchange will make
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As my parents before me were able to make a better life for themselves and worked their way up from being in the poor lower class to now being around the middle of the working middle class and also gives me the chance in my future to work toward wealthy upper class, something that isn’t available in the caste system. Although when I trace my ancestry back to find that I would be in a permanent upper class in a caste system, there could have been a possibility that my ancestors were very poor and could have keep me chained down in the lower