Affects of Globalization on the Caste System in India

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       As man evolved, a social order evolved with him and this order is known today as caste. This social order has always been affected by the economic order (that resulted from the economic activities of man in order to have enough for his survival) because of the simple reciprocal relationship between man͛s social life and his daily occupational activities. As we can infer from the economic history of mankind, an economic order is an inception of an economic phenomenon and if we take it in the most simple sense, globalization is the result of medieval and modern economic order. All this sums up and results in a cause and effect relationship between globalization and caste. I would be analyzing the cause and effect relationship between globalization and caste in the context of our country as caste system was most prominent here.There are two chief factors that made globalization a cause of development of our economy and initiated the process of dissolving of the differences pertaining to caste and creed. Firstly, the liberalization of our economy and secondly, the influence of the significance of the agricultural sector on international agro and bio-tech companies. These two will be the main areas of discussion. In Swami Vivekananda͛s words: ͞Caste is an imperfect institution no doubt. But if it had not been for caste, you would have had no Sanskrit books to study. This caste made walls, around which all sorts of invasions rolled and surged but found it impossible to breakthrough.͟ Globalization (or globalisation) describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of political ideas through communication, transportation, and trade. The term is most closely associated with the term economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, the spread of technology, and military presence.1However, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural, political, and biological factors. 2 The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or popular culture through acculturation. An aspect of the world which has gone through the process can be said to be globalized. Caste system has been a constant barrier in the path of our nation͛s journey towards its goal of becoming a developed nation. It became an unbreakable shackle and the government͛s shallow approach towards the status of the lower castes reinforced it. After the weak performance in the 7th 5-year plan, Government liberalized (the process of liberalization started in 1991 in 1

Bhagwati, Jagdish (2004). In Defense of Globalization. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. Sheila L. Croucher. Globalization and Belonging: The Politics of Identity in a Changing World. Rowman& Littlefield. (2004). p.10

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India) its trade and commerce policies and also the laws regulating the foreign direct investment in our country. This allowed a large number of MNCs to enter our markets. These MNCs wanted ample amount of talent to flow in. Thus they just had one principle, to get the best people (without any kind of discrimination) and they just did that. The reservations in educational institutes gave a boost to the morale of the people belonging to the schedule castes and tribes because of which they were able to bring out the best in them and get good jobs. The MNCs employed people based on their talent and not their caste. This was a major blow to the mental setup bound tight by the caste system. It brought a significant change in the mindset of the general public and people started to see each other through the kaleidoscope of the colors of success rather than a colorless pin hole camera covered with the curtain of caste and creed. In the 8th five year plan, the Government was able to achieve rise in employment level and poverty reduction3. Agriculture being the cornerstone of the Indian economy, and having a huge market potential attracted a number of top agricultural companies like Monsanto, Rallis, H.J. Heinz, Poabs Organic Estates etc. These companies realized the potential of the farmers and being familiar with their hard-work these companies decided to work in accordance with them. Most of these farmers belonged to the backward castes. Yet this did not affect the companies from working with them solely because of their loyalty and great potential. This in turn gave the famers the moral boost that they needed to push the growth of the agricultural and allied sector all the way upto 4% ( in 2008 ) from 2.5% ( in 2003). 4The companies and farmers having worked in close proximity with each other, were able to share some critical information (pertaining to yield, plant health, hygiene) with each other which benefited them mutually i.e., the farmers got to learn modern techniques of crop management and farming and also undertook mechanization of farming techniques and, the companies got to learn about indigenous practices, a free HR department in the form of aged and experienced farmers ( helping them to deal in a more efficient way with the farmer community and understand their methodology and grievances) and booming sales and profits. As evident from the above mentioned points, these factors not only helped to integrate our national economy with the world economy (which is the primary aim of globalization) but also helped to improve the socio-cultural scenario of our nation in a big way. To conclude I would like to say that globalization through these factors not only globalized our economy but also globalized the mindset of the common man. It brought positive changes like increase in per capita income ( primarily of the rural areas and that of the lower classes of society ), increased the spectrum of the middle class, instilled confidence and reliability 3 4

http://www.slideshare.net/deepakfo34/five-year-plans-of-india-presentation-795563 http://business.mapsofindia.com/india-company/top-10-agricultural-companies.html

amongst the labor class and the executive, and reduction of poverty. All this summed up and resulted in boosting up the progress of our nation. Thus globalization not only affected caste in a positive way but also changed our nation and its people forever.

ByRaghavGoenka 20100116 BA-LLB (Hons.)-Year 1 Section-B