Page 61 - SST Class 08

the people and therefore a higher caste person According to him, “It is not the caste of a man that
could not eat or drink anything touched by them. mattered, but his inherent. No religious text
advocates the caste system.”
Arguments Against Caste System
In 1898, he established the Ramakrishna Math at
Arguments against caste system were as under :
Belur. This was opened to all people without any
q Lack of Unity : The Hindu society had become distinction of religion, race or caste. He wanted
very rigid and complex. Due to caste and the spread of education to the masses both men
subcaste division, there was no unity among and women. He emphasised
different caste people. So, they could not face on technical education, and
the invaders unitedly. also on learning Sanskrit. He

q Conversions to Other Religions : Lower caste wanted the caste system to
be based on a person’s
people were fed up with the feeling of being
qualities. He strongly
hated by the upper castes. This became major
cause that people started becoming convert to opposed the practice of
untouchability. Ramakrishna Paramhansa
Christianity or Islam.
q No Personal Growth : As caste system was
Info Bits
determined on the basis of birth, a person Info Bits
could not change his profession or his caste. Swami Vivekananda spent many years in America,
For example, a Shudra could not become a Europe and England to tell people the true wisdom
scholar though he may have talent and ability of the Hindu religion. He represented Hinduism in
for this. Thus, there was no scope for personal the world Parliament of Religions held in Chicago
growth.
in 1893. He addressed the Parliament and won
q Anti-democratic : For the growth of national great fame. He glorified the Hindu religion and the
movement, the mutual cooperation of all Indian culture.
castes and classes of society was very essential. Jyotirao Phule
But caste system was a big hurdle.
Jyotirao Phule (popularly called Jyotiba Phule),
q Narrow Outlook : The caste system was was a great reformer and advocate of the cause of
rooted in narrow outlook, which resulted in
oppressed sections of society. He was born in low
unscientific thinking. The people and country caste Mali family in 1827 and studied in Christian
could not progress with a narrow outlook.
Missionary School. He and his
Contribution of Social Reformers wife Savitri Phule were pioneers
of women’s education. They
With the spread of modern education many social wanted to bring about reforms
and religious reformers came forward to remove
the evil of caste system prevailing in the society. in the spheres of education,
caste system and status of
Swami Vivekananda women. They fought for the

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was a great right of the lower castes. Jyotirao Phule
scholar. He was an ardent
Info Bits
disciple of Ramakrishna Info Bits
Paramhansa. He was against
superstitious customs. He Savitribai Phule, wife of Jyotiba, was the first
believed that all people were woman teacher in modern Maharashtra.
equal and opposed Jyotiba Phule was highly inspired by Thomas
discrimination based on Paine’s book Rights of Man , and developed a
Swami Vivekanand
caste and religion. sense of social justice. In 1873, Phule wrote
Social Awakening in India
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