Revisiting Caste & Politics: How Does India Vote?

Recent findings of the Bihar caste survey have the potential for questioning the existing 50% cap on reservations in jobs and educational institutions. Observers also suggest that this development may trigger a reevaluation of the Mandal politics that characterized 1990s and onwards.

One of the many social realities of Indian society has influenced politics like none other– whether in the form of vote banks or constituent assembly debates. It remains the only realm where the west cannot preach much to us. After all, caste division is unique to the subcontinent.

The constitution makers didn’t have any foreign laws to adopt in regard to caste. All laws and policies are then original to us. Results were seen in the form of affirmative action.

The right and wrong of it is debatable (as is true of any other policy). In any case, Indian politics is impossible to understand without having knowledge of the caste system.

Originating as a structure based on purity and hierarchy, the caste system eventually evolved into a framework defining material access, social status, and power. Renowned sociologist G.S. Ghurye delineated six characteristics of the caste system, including segmental division of society, hierarchy, limitations on social interactions and dining, civil and religious restrictions, constrained occupational choices, and restrictions on marriage.

Caste has taken on additional roles, such as exerting influence in politics and playing a significant part in political dynamics as potent pressure or interest groups. In this context, caste served as a broad foundation for the organization of democratic politics.

The primary avenue for mobilizing electoral and political support became centered around caste identity and solidarity. Mobilization efforts were more prevalent in rural areas compared to urban centers, with political parties finding it more straightforward to directly appeal to and mobilize support from members of specific caste communities. The political system, in turn, actively encouraged the utilization of it as a means to cultivate a dedicated following.

Traditionally, the caste system allocates distinct social, economic, cultural, and political power. In North India, the caste system plays a pivotal role in politics. Political alignments in northern India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, often align along caste lines, although this is only one aspect of the narrative. Caste dynamics are often specific to particular regions, leading to the emergence of locally dominant castes within these pockets.

Politics and caste are intricately intertwined, each relying on the other for sustenance and influence. Political parties have actively made caste groupings their operational sphere, providing caste groups with a platform to assert their identity and vie for position. The concept of a dominant caste, as elucidated by M.N. Srinivas (1959), refers to a caste that holds numerical superiority, thereby wielding political power.

The notion of dominant castes gaining political and economic power through processes like sanskritisation further reinforces the role of caste in society. The intersection of tradition and modernity, as discussed by Rajni Kothari, highlights a "curious cognitive hiatus." This concept explains the apparent contradiction between traditional values and the evolving dynamics of modernity, where caste symbolism continues to play a crucial role in determining social and economic positions of various groups.

As per a PEW Research, caste classification in India is partially rooted in economic hierarchies, and this connection persists to some extent in contemporary times. The research indicates that individuals with higher levels of education are more inclined to identify with the General Category, whereas those with lower levels of education, including those with no formal education, are more likely to identify as Other Backward Classes (OBC).

It is naive to think of a world without inequalities. Caste and politics continues to echo through legislative corridors and electoral arenas. When it comes to laws like reservation, which were created to give a helping hand to those who were historically disadvantaged, their future depends on our commitment to fairness. Can India imagine a future where everyone has a fair chance, without needing special help?

Image source: The Emissary [https://theemissary.co/the-reckoning-of-caste-politics/]