The Caste System and Slavery in India
By no name
@Zmugzy (773)
March 5, 2007 7:32am CST
A friend of mine was recently taken to a small farm in India. There were people working in the fields - these were often whole families: husbands, wives and children. My friend met one of the workers who invited him to his house. This worker was a Dalit - a member of the lowest caste in India. Although he worked all day (14 Hours) in the fields he received no money but only rice enough to feed his family for a week. In his house my friend shared a meal of rice, rice juice and water - this comprised the total diet of the Dalit family who were clearly inder nourished. This Dalit member and his family and children were clearly slaves. Even though India now promotes itself as a developing democratic modern civilised country it seems that at its base the Indian economy is still dependent on various forms of slavery. Members of the Dalits caste are forced to work along with their children for rice by the land owners that emply them. Does anyone think that this is in anyway justified? Does anyone consider that slavery has a place in the modern world?
2 people like this
4 responses
@alirana (297)
• Malaysia
6 Mar 07
The cast system and slavery is not only in India its also other countries of subcontinent.Now i'm not putting names here. It prevails too long in this part of the world that like unhealed wound. Even education is not so helpful to eradicate such kind of problem.The major problem are not only Feudal or Lords,but the multitude of the people who are ben slaved generation by generation are unable to see the light from any one. They are still happy to live that life. i think need to improve the education and psychological mind set to overcome this problem.
@smacksman (6053)
•
7 Mar 07
Well this is a surprise. I would have thought this topic would have been busy. Are Indians in denial?
People are too eager to make fun of the class system in the UK, you know - lower class, working class, middle class, upper class; everyone knows their place. We make lots of jokes about it ourselves.
In America they seem to have class systems defined by wealth- poor, mega rich and everybody else in between on levels increasing at $10,000 income per level. Each level knows his place in society.
I now need Indians to correct my following views because I have never been to India. I only know what I have read and seen on TV - both dangerous mediums from which to form a fixed view!
A nation of a billion plus people, of many tongues and religions, of ancient lineage and culture. A country with extreemes of poverty and wealth more than Europe and America. Corruption is rife from top politicians to a local community worker. A cast structure where it is not acceptable to marry outside their social strata and indeed not acceptable to have a friendship or even to touch or be touched by a certain cast. All of course officially banned by the government and of course, such laws totally ignored by the populace. Where usuary in money lending is common, where once borrowed, it is impossible to repay in an honest working man's lifetime - a perfect breeding ground for slavery.
Indians enlighten me please.
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
5 Mar 07
I used to think that slavery has been wiped out from the face of the earth long ago. I had no idea that slavery ever took place in India. It is a shock to learn that India did not only practice it but rather, is still into it until now. The Indian government must do something in order to eradicate this very oppressive practice. No matter how poor a person is, if he is free, there is no way at all that he will only be eating rice and water only. Even the poorest in my country eat other foods in addition to rice. Nobody has the right to claim ownership of anybody much less, work somebody to the bone without proper compensation.
