Question

was the old varna system similar to the "race" system which used nowadays​

Answer 1

Answer:

Literally 'Varna' means colour and originates from the world 'Vri' meaning the choice of one's occupation. Hence Varna is concerned with one's colour or occupation. Caste or 'Jati' originates from the root word 'Jana' which implies taking birth. Thus, caste is concerned with birth.

How is traditional caste system different from modern class system?

Caste system is static whereas the class system is dynamic. ... As such social mobility (movement upwards and downwards) is much more common in the class structure than in the caste system or in other types. In the caste system, individual mobility from one caste to another is impossible.

Answer 2

Answer:

The caste system as it exists today is thought to be the result of developments during the collapse of the Mughal era and the rise of the British colonial government in India. The collapse of the Mughal era saw the rise of powerful men who associated themselves with kings, priests and ascetics, affirming the regal and martial form of the caste ideal, and it also reshaped many apparently casteless social groups into differentiated caste communities. The British Raj furthered this development, making rigid caste organization a central mechanism of administration. Between 1860 and 1920, the British formulated the caste system into their system of governance, granting administrative jobs and senior appointments only to Christians and people belonging to certain castes. Social unrest during the 1920s led to a change in this policy. From then on, the colonial administration began a policy of positive discrimination by reserving a certain percentage of government jobs for the lower castes. In 1948, negative discrimination on the basis of caste was banned by law and further enshrined in the Indian constitution; however, the system continues to be practiced in parts of India.

Caste-based differences have also been practiced in other regions and religions in the Indian subcontinent, like Nepalese Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. It has been challenged by many reformist Hindu movements, Sikhism, Christianity, by present-day Indian Buddhism. With Indian influence in Southeast Asia, the caste system is also practiced in places such as Thailand, Cambodia and Bali.

India after achieving independence in 1947 enacted many affirmative action policies for the upliftment of historically marginalized groups. These policies included reserving a quota of places for these groups in higher education and government employment.

Explanation: