In The Truth About Us, Sanjoy Chakravorty argues that many of our ideas about the caste system are rooted not in Indian scriptures or traditions, but rather originated during British colonial rule.
To facilitate the creation of a nation with a common law that could easily be governed, he argues, the British colonial government constructed convenient social identities and hierarchies that barely existed in earlier times.
Its goal was to simplify the vast, complex and diverse array of faiths and social identities for administrative purposes. If boundaries had once been flexible, they were made immovable.
If in earlier times there had been little evidence of caste oppression — indeed, social identities were in a constant state of flux — the colonial administration excelled in stratifying society.
In short, it sought to construct a single social truth, which defined major religious and caste identities for its own convenience, the effect of which can be seen to this day.
I think it’s worth pondering this thesis. Perhaps we may draw parallels with the present. Who, for example, are the new untouchables in modern Britain? Is society still being categorised into social strata which facilitates government rule?
Perhaps more importantly, are we being coopted into a game of divide and rule, be it the culture war or interfaith hostilities? Are we allowing ourselves to be divided into classes of good citizen or bad, defined by perceptions of integration or isolation?
Is the present really any different from the nineteenth century, in which society was remade and redefined to serve the interests of the few?
Last modified: 20 August 2023
