The impact of British rule on caste system in India may be studied under the following heads.
Introduction of Universalistic Legal system.
Impact of English Education.
Impact of Social Reform Movements.
Influence of New Social Formation.
Impact of Freedom Struggle.
Impact of Industrialization and Urbanization.
1. Introduction of Universalistic Legal System: The establishment of British courts removed authority from the purview of caste panchayats. Under this new principle of justice,all are equal before the law, and the caste panchayats lost their former importance.
Some major legislations were the following:
a. The Caste Disabilities Removal Act of 1850. This act served to remove some of the disabilities associated with castes including the practice of untouchability.
b. The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act 1856, This act made legal, provision for the Hindu widows to remarry.
c. The Special Marriage Act of 1872 considered marriage as a civil contract and legalized inter-caste or inter-religious marriages.
d. Other legislative and administrative measures were put into effect, like Government schools to be open to all classes of subjects, stopping of gran * to schools and refusing admission to depressed class, public places to be men to everybody and constitutional provisions for representation in legislative bodies for them.
2. Impact of English Education: British education was based on scientific, secular and universal principles. It was made accessible to everyone, irrespective of caste or community. It remained *** in content. It propagated principles such as the liberty equality and fraternity.
As education spread to the lower strata, it kindled libertarian impulses among them. Western education provided an indispensable passport to the new economic opportunities. Members from the lower castes became professionals and embraced the new commercial opportunities offered by western education.
3. Impact of Social Reform Movements: Social reform movements brought changes in the caste system in British **. They set out to eradicate caste and to establish a casteless and, classless society.
Brahma Samaj by Rajaram Mohan Roy, Prarthana Samaj by Atmaram Pandurang, Arya Samaj by Swamy Dayananda Saraswathi, Ramakrishna Mission by Swami Vivekananda, Theosophical Society by Annie Besant and Divine Life Society by Maharshi Aurobindo Ghosh were leading movements.
All these organizations aimed at the destruction of caste system and social reconstruction of Indian society.
4. Impact of New Social Formations: The new economic system brought about a new grouping of the population in the economic sphere. The Indians got differentiated into capitalists, workers, peasants, proprietors, merchants, tenants, land lords, doctors, lawyers, teachers and technicians.
Each category being composed of individuals belonging to various castes, but having identical material and political interests. This division weakened the vertical caste lines. Thus there came into existence such, organizations as Mil! Owners Associations, All India Trace Union Congress.
All India Kishan Sabha and etc., these groups struggled for their own interests. In the process of this struggle they developed a new consciousness and outlook and a new solidarity, which slowly weakened the caste consciousness.
5. Impact of Freedom Struggle: The growth of the nationalist movement played a great role in weakening caste consciousness. In India, the presence of foreign rule was a permanent stimulus to the Indians to unite on a national basis. Thus the growth of the national movement undermined the caste consciousness.
6. Impact of Industrialization and Urbanization: The growth of Industries destroyed the old craft and provided new ways to earn a livelihood. Occupational mobility and movement from compact ancestral villages started breaking down the caste norms.
New transport facilities, especially crowded trains, and buses, threw together millions of people of all castes and left little room for the necessities of ceremonial purity. Taboos on food and water gradually weakened when industrial workers belonging to various castes started working under one roof and having food at a common canteen.
He demarcation observed by the members of different castes regarding eating food, physical contact with those of other castes, steadily crumbled in cities.
