Caste and Race in India c13.4

c13.4

Mahatma Gandhi has not given us a complete programme by means of which he proposes to reinstate the four old orders. It is not quite clear whether persons would be assigned to one or the other of these classes on the ground of their birth in a particular caste or on the strength of the occupation they now follow. Yet as he lays great stress on birth and heredity and subscribes to the view "once born a Brahmin always a Brahmin", he would no doubt rather rearrange the other castes into their proper groups on the basis of birth. If it were sought to put this procedure into operation we do not hesitate to think that there would be great strife among the various castes. The Kshatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra classes have not remained as distinct and intact as the Brahmins. There is much difference of opinion as to which of the castes should be included in one or the other of the above three classes. Even if an amicable settlement on this point were possible, what about the untouchable classes? Gandhi is vehemently opposed to untouchability, and he would naturally propose some respectable status to these classes. Where are they to be provided for? Wherever it may be proposed to include them, there is bound to be a tremendous protest from that class. The criterion of birth in a caste for the purposes of the proposed fourfold classification is thus found to be quite unsatisfactory. If the actual occupation of an individual is to be the test of his status, how are the modern occupations to be accommodated in this old scheme of fourfold humanity? Even if we successfully adjust the claims of all persons and classify them properly, it is an open question if marriage between the classes is to be permitted or prohibited, or if any social restrictions in the matter of food, etc., are still to continue. Altogether it appears to us that a return to the old fourfold division of society is impracticable, and even if accomplished would serve no more useful purpose than that of reminding us of our past heritage.¹