CASTE AND CLASS IDEOLOGY IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA

Caste and Class Ideology in Contemporary India begins with an overview of major theoretical considerations of caste to elaborate on the genesis, mechanism and the function of the caste system in India. It critically examines the persistence of caste in modern Indian society, challenging the notion that caste is an archaic system compensated for by affirmative action. The book argues that caste continues to function as both a source of discrimination and a structure of advantage, especially in the post-liberalization economy. Drawing on recent research from anthropology, economics, history, and political science, it explores caste’s role in social hierarchies, rural inequality, urban labour markets, and the business sector. The author contends that caste perpetuates socio-economic disparities and influences subjective well-being, with its effects travelling from rural to urban areas and across various markets. Despite economic reforms, caste endures due to its role in opportunity hoarding and the resistance to the advancement of marginalized groups. The book calls for policy reforms to address caste-based discrimination, particularly in informal and private sectors, and emphasizes the need for caste to be integrated into global development discussions.

Caste in modern India is not only a social phenomenon but an inseparable part of the political process. It is increasingly becoming a powerful tool of electoral mobilization in the organized domain of politics.

The work challenges traditional theories of class and identity by highlighting the complexities of caste’s interaction with other social categories and questioning whether the caste system will eventually evolve or disappear.