Class Structure and Classification

Class Structure and classification

In western society, “Social Class” invoke a status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified on the basis of prestige and esteem achieved mainly through the accumulation of wealth and economic success. In general, there are three general categories of social class. They are Upper Class, Middle Class & Lower Class. In these countries, the people of upper class earning is above $ 250,000 per year, the middle class earns between $ 48,000 and $ 49,000 per year and the lower class up generally receives a minimum income that is not enough to continue their lives. Hence, the huge gaps in the income are thought to be one of several root causes of class warfare. While income is a large indicator of general wealth, class, and increased assets plays a large role in class position because those things have a value that can be exchanged for money and thus grant power.

But in Nepal, class classification is based on the caste system. Caste is termed as “Jat” in Nepalese society. The worldwide definition of the caste system in a circle is a categorization of several hereditary groups of hierarchical social class. However, given the worldwide nature of the “caste system”, it has in part become fragmented into slightly different meanings depending on the culture its enclosed into. Thus, making is a complex system that can combine many elements from ethnicity, birthright, power, occupation and financial acumen. These caste systems are classified according to the working nature of the people. In Nepalese society, there are four broad social castes. They are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Sudra.

According to the Layman, “ Caste System means depending on your families hereditary line including their wealth, power, influence, occupation, ethnicity, education and name you will be placed into a group within society that will determine your future job, income, education, lifestyle, social standing and influence including that of your offspring."

According to the western society, there are three general categories of social class. They are:

1. Upper Class
2. Middle Class &
3. Lower Class

1. Upper Class

The term ‘Upper class’ directly suggests a very wealthy and powerful class who owns and controls all the means of production. This class composed of those people who are rich, powerful, well-born or a combination of all those qualities. These people usually hold the greatest political power. In some countries, wealth alone is enough to allow them to enter into the upper class. In others, people with the birthright or marry to certain aristocratic bloodlines are advised members of the upper class, and those who earn great wealth through commercial activity are looked down upon by the "new rich" as nouveau riche. In general, upper-class people means who can make high expenditures.

In Nepal, brahmin castes people belong to this category, who are traditionally priests, scholars educators, and preachers of Hinduism. They described the highest of the four Hindu varna or castes. This 1st varna includes Khas Brahmins or 'Bahuns', Maithil Brahmin and Rajopadhyaya or 'Dhyo Brahman' people forming the Brahmin varna of the Hindu varna system.

2. Middle Class

Similarly, middle-class people are the professional workers, small business owners and low-level managers. The middle class, the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the lower and upper classes. Theorists like Ralf Dahrendorf have pointed that the tendency toward an enlarged middle-class in modern western societies, especially in relation to the need of an educated work force in technological economies. Perspectives concentrating neocolonialism and globalization, such as dependency theory, suggest this is due to the shift of low-level labour to developing nations and the Third World.

Khas-Chettri people, they are known as traditional soldiers and administrators and are considered as Chhetri of Kha's community. Many chhetris are a combination of Magar and Khas people, that is the reasons why many Magar and Chhetri people have similar Surnames. Chathariya Shrestha, one who are descendants of Malla and Licchavi rulers, their courtier class and nobles are advised as Kshatriyas of Newar community. Kayastha, Rajput, Rajbhat castes are advised as Kshatriyas of Madhesi community. In this recent time agricultural and historically farmer groups like Yadav, Kushwaha, Koeri, kurmi have also claimed Kshatriya descent.

The 3rd varna includes people from the Vaishya varna, mainly farmers, merchants, cattle-herders, and artisans. This ethnicity does not have their Vaishya castes. Newar community's various Vaishya castes include hereditary mercantile, commercial and crafts castes. Primarily they have two dominant groups - Buddhist Uray (Kansakar, Tuladhar, Tamrakar, etc.) and Hindu Panchthariya Shrestha. Various Vaishya castes in terai communities include hereditary castes including Teli, Koeri, Bania, Halwai, Sudhi, Marwadi etc.

 3. Lower Class

Lower class people are the one who relies on low-paying wage jobs for their livelihood and often experiences poverty. Lower class people are those employed in low-paying wage jobs (or who receives minimal wages) with very little economic security. The working class is sometimes categorized into those who are employed but lacking financial security, and an underclass, those who are jobless for the long term and/or homeless, especially those receiving welfare from the state. 

The fourth varna includes people from the Sudradamai varna, mainly artisans, laborers, and service providers like playing traditional musical instruments at weddings, engaging in sewing clothing (called Suchikar or Sujikar), etc. Those who play musical instruments (damaha, hudko, and devbaja) in wedding processions are referred to as damai, dholi, hudke, nagarchi and nagdi. Originally they were called with different names according to which instruments they played. People employed in sewing clothes are known as darji, tailor, master, or tailor-master. Darji was once used only for tailors, but nowadays it is used for all tailors as well as musicians. Similarly, damai or damahi has also undergone an expansion of its meaning. Initially, it only meant someone who played the damaha. Now, it is used for the entire caste. Surnames Nepali, Pariyar, Viswakarma, Darji and others have come in vogue recently.

References:

http://www.photius.com/countries/nepal/society/nepal_society_social_classes_and_s~10105.html

Central Bureau of Statistics, 2004. Statistical Report Volume One. In: Nepal Living

Standards Survey 2003/2004, Kathmandu.