Chapter - 5

Forms of Social Inequality and

Exclusion
Social Resources: Social resources are any objects (wealth, status, education, health, and
power) that satisfy human needs and desires. Division of Social Resources: Social resources
can be divided into three types:
●​ Economic Capital: In the form of physical assets and income.
●​ Cultural Capital: In the form of prestige and educational qualifications.
●​ Social Capital: In the form of a network of social connections and contacts.
●​ These three forms of capital are often intertwined and can be exchanged for one another.
Social Inequality (Social Inequality): A system of unequal access of different individuals living
in a society to social resources is generally called social inequality. Some social inequalities
reflect natural differences between individuals. For example, a difference in their ability and
effort; an individual may be extraordinarily intelligent or talented, or it may be that they worked
very hard to achieve wealth and a good position. However, social inequality is not due to innate
or 'natural' differences between individuals, but is rather generated by the society in which they
live.
Social Stratification (Social Stratification): The system that classifies people in a society into
a hierarchical structure is called sociological social stratification; this hierarchy shapes the
identification and experience of people, their relationship with others, as well as their access to
resources and opportunities.
Main theories explaining social stratification:
1.​ Social stratification is not just a difference between individuals but a characteristic of
society. Social stratification is a system widely found in society that unequally distributes
social resources into different categories of people; technically, it exists in more primitive
societies, such as hunter-gatherer societies, there was very little production, so only
rudimentary social stratification existed. In economically advanced societies, where
people produce more than their basic needs, social resources are unequally divided
among various social categories, which has nothing to do with people's individual abilities.
1.​ Social stratification persists from generation to generation: This is closely linked to
the inheritance of family and social resources from one generation to the next. A person's
social status is ascribed, meaning it is inherited or obtained automatically; that is, children
get the social status of their parents. Within the caste system, birth determines
occupational opportunities. A Dalit working in a traditional occupation, such as an
agricultural laborer, scavenger, or leather worker, remains bound by their work, and they
have very few opportunities for high-salaried white-collar jobs or professional jobs. The
ascribed aspect of social inequality is also reinforced by the practice of endogamy.
2.​ Social stratification is supported by beliefs or ideologies: No system of social
stratification can persist from generation to generation unless it is widely believed to be
either just or inevitable. For example, the caste system is justified from a religious or
ritualistic perspective on the basis of purity and impurity, in which Brahmins were given
the highest status and Dalits were given the lowest status due to their birth and
 occupation.
Prejudices (PREJUDICES): Prejudice refers to preconceived ideas or behaviors of members of
one group about another group. The literal meaning of this word is 'pre-judgment', meaning an
idea that is formed at the very beginning without knowing the subject and without examining its
facts. A prejudiced person's preconceived ideas are based on hearsay rather than proven
evidence; they refuse to change even if new information is obtained. Prejudices can be both
positive and negative. Prejudices are based on unchangeable, rigid, and stereotypical notions.

Stereotype (STEREOTYPE): Such a popular belief, group-accepted idea, or feeling that is

generally verbal or emotional is called a stereotypical notion, or a fixed and rigid (unchangeable)
nature of a group of people. This is mostly used regarding women, ethnic, and racial groups.
Discrimination (DISCRIMINATION): Refers to behaviors, actions, or activities that result in
members of a particular group being deprived of those goods, services, jobs, resources, etc.,
that are usually available to others. This discrimination can be done against members of a group
on the basis of their gender, caste, or religion.
Social Exclusion (SOCIAL EXCLUSION): These are the ways through which a person or
group is prevented from mixing completely in society or is kept separate. It draws attention to all
those factors that deprive a person or group of opportunities available to the majority of the
population. Besides the basic needs of life (like food, clothing, and shelter) for living a full and
active life, a person also needs other essential goods and services (like education, health,
transport, insurance, social security, banking, police, and judiciary). This does not happen
accidentally or unintentionally but is done in a systematic way. Due to long-term inequality, a
sense of revenge and hatred is born in the excluded society, due to which the excluded society
does not try to connect itself with the mainstream, such as Dalit, tribal communities, women, etc.
Caste: A Discriminatory System: The caste system is a specific Indian social institution that
implements and justifies discriminatory behavior against individuals born into specific castes.

Other Backward Classes (OBC): The category of castes that are socially and educationally
backward is called Other Backward Classes. This includes people from artisan castes who
serve. The main characteristics of these classes are their backwardness in terms of culture,
education, and social aspects. These classes are neither in the upper castes nor in the lower
castes (Dalits). However, since caste has not remained limited to the Hindu religion but has
entered all major Indian religions, backward castes are also found in other religions.
Backward Classes Commission: The first 'Backward Classes Commission' was constituted
under the chairmanship of Kaka Saheb Kalelkar. The commission submitted its report to the
government in 1953. In 1979, a second backward classes commission (Mandal Commission)
was constituted.
Tribal life in India: A social group suffering from poverty, powerlessness, and social stigma,
which was identified specifically by the Indian Constitution just like the Scheduled Castes, is
called Scheduled Tribes. These tribes or forest dwellers were understood to be such that their
residence in the specific conditions of hilly or forest areas shaped their economic, social, and
political characteristics. However, this situational separation was not absolute anywhere; that is,
they were not completely separate or disconnected. Tribal groups have had a long and close
relationship with Hindu society and culture.
Internal Colonialism: Tribal society faced internal colonialism in the name of progress. The
Indian government acquired their land in the name of exploiting forests, mining, and building
dams, which led to their displacement.
Major issues related to the problems of tribals:
 ●​ National Forest Policy vs. Tribal Displacement.
●​ Policy of intensive industrialization in tribal areas.
●​ Appearance of ethnic political consciousness among tribals.
Women's Rights and Their Status: Inequality between men and women is social, not natural.
If men and women are unequal on natural grounds, then why have some women reached the
top positions in societies upheld. This behavior of discrimination is insulting, exclusionary, and
exploitative. The caste system classified individuals based on their occupation and status; the
caste system determined the occupation of individuals, and social and economic status were in
accordance with each other.

Untouchability (UNTOUCHABILITY): Untouchability, which is called 'achhut' in common

parlance, is a very hated and polluted aspect of the caste system, which provides for very strict
disciplines (punishments) against members of castes considered the lowest on the scale of
purity and impurity from a religious and ritualistic point of view. This is called untouchability.
The word untouchability has been used for those people who were considered impure, dirty, and
polluted. Such people were not allowed to enter temples and public places. Gandhi ji used the
word 'Harijan' for these people, but nowadays the word 'Dalit' is used. The literal meaning of
Dalit is 'crushed under feet'. According to the Indian Constitution (1956), caste untouchability is
prohibited. Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar, and Jyotiba Phule did remarkable work in the
direction of eradicating untouchability.
Dimensions of Untouchability: There are three main dimensions of untouchability:
1.​ Exclusion or boycott
2.​ Disrespect and subordination
3.​ Exploitation
1. Exclusion or boycott: Lower castes have to endure boycott in society, but not as much as
Dalits have to. Dalits have to suffer such terrible forms of boycott that other groups do not have
to endure. For example, they are not allowed to take water from common sources of drinking
water; they have separate wells, handpumps, ghats, etc.; they cannot participate in social
functions and ceremonies.
2. Disrespect and subordination: Many acts of disrespect and subordination are carried out in
public as a significant part of the practice of untouchability, they are forced to show forced
respect to people of so-called upper castes, such as taking off their hats or turbans, taking off
their shoes and holding them in their hands, standing with heads bowed, not wearing clean or
shiny clothes, etc. Apart from this, hearing insults and...

3. Exploitation: They usually have to do 'begar' (forced labor), for which they are not paid or
are given very low wages; sometimes their property is even snatched away.
Steps taken by the State to eliminate discrimination against Scheduled Castes and
Tribes: Steps taken by the State to remove caste discrimination and compensate for its damage
is one of the most important steps, such as reservation. Under this, some places or seats are
reserved for members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in various aspects of public life. These
reservations include many types of reservations, such as reservation of seats in state and
central legislatures (i.e., State Legislative Assemblies, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha),
reservation of jobs in government service under all departments and public sector companies,
and reservation of seats in educational institutions.
Apart from reservation, there are many other laws that have been made to end, stop, or punish
caste discrimination, especially untouchability. One such early law was the Caste Disabilities
Removal Act of 1850, which provided that the rights of citizens could not be reduced solely due
to change of religion or caste. The Untouchability Offences Act 1955, The Scheduled Castes
and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, etc.
Steps taken by other organizations to eliminate discrimination against Scheduled Castes
and Tribes: Just like the struggles and movements led by Dalit leaders like Jyotiba Phule,
Iyothee Thass, Periyar, and Dr. Ambedkar in the period before independence, other mass
movements were also carried out by contemporary political organizations like the Bahujan
Samaj Party of Uttar Pradesh and the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti of Karnataka after independence.
Is there. There are societies in the world or the country where women hold power, such as the
Nair families of Kerala, the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya. If a woman is considered incompetent on
biological or physical grounds, then how is she able to successfully run agriculture and trade? In
short, it would be logical to say that there is no role for biological/natural or physical factors in
the determination of inequality between men and women.

Reform Movements in the Nineteenth Century to Improve the Status of Women: Raja Ram
Mohan Roy opposed Sati practice and child marriage and supported widow remarriage.
●​ Jyotiba Phule led a movement against caste and gender atrocities.
●​ Sir Syed Ahmad Khan opened schools and colleges for girls for social reforms in Islam.
●​ Dayanand Saraswati contributed to women's education.
●​ Ranade emphasized widow remarriage/remarriage.
●​ Tarabai Shinde wrote a book named 'Stri Purush Tulana' in which the double standards
adopted by the male-dominated society were opposed.
●​ Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain wrote a book named 'Sultana's Dream' in which there
was a discussion about giving equal rights to every gender.
●​ In 1931, the Indian National Congress in Karachi issued an ordinance emphasizing the
right of women to equality. It was decided that they would not be judged in matters of
public employment, power, or honor.
●​ In 1970, emphasis was laid on many other issues, such as rape of women in police
custody, dowry death, the representation of women in popular media, and the gender
consequences of unequal development, etc., were specifically drawn attention to.
Disability/Differently Abled (DISABILITY): Differently abled people are not disabled just
because they are physically or mentally impaired, but they are also disabled because society is
structured in such a way that it does not meet their needs. Disability is considered a biological
weakness. Whenever many problems arise before a disabled person, it is assumed that these
problems were created only because of their hurdle or weakness. It is believed that the disability
is linked to the disabled person's own direct perception.

Relationship between disability and poverty: A very close relationship has been seen
between disability and poverty because mothers are victims of malnutrition due to poverty and
give birth to weak and underdeveloped children, who grow up to increase the number of
disabled people.
Steps taken by the government: The government provides various programs for them, such
as education, employment, vocational, etc.