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A Historical Survey of Social Class and Caste System in Sri Lanka

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A Historical Survey of Social Class and Caste System in Sri Lanka “KALAM” International Journal of Faculty of Arts and Culture, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka A Historical Survey of Social Class and Caste System in Sri Lanka Riswan, M South Eastern University of Sri Lanka Abstract This study analyzes the practices of social stratification along the lines of stratification theory and relevant published materials. This paper highlighted the social stratification, especially social class and caste systems exercising by Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims communities in Sri Lanka. This study found that the social class has developed among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims historically, and Sinhalese and Tamils who make up majority of the population in the country have their own distinctive caste system consequently. Key words: Stratification, Social Class, and Caste Background of the Study Lankan communities even though the other Social stratification is the hierarchal system social and economical distinctions are that society uses to rank and categorize accessible in the country. people. Sociologists claim that social Objective of the Study stratification is a natural consequence in every The main objective of this paper is to society (Ursula Sharma, 2002). There are scrutinize the development of social class various types of social stratification systems system among Sri Lankan communities through out the universe. In Sri Lanka, there historically and to understand the types of are four key elements that comprise social social stratification, especially caste system stratification: caste, class, gender, and among Sinhalese and Tamil communities ethnicity. Based on these elements of significantly. stratification, the social class and caste system developed in Sri Lanka historically. Methodology of the Study The class systems are based on individual This is basically a qualitative study which is achievement, and social mobility is the constructed based on the conceptual foundation of the class system. Caste system framework of stratification. Data for this is the system of division of labor and power in study have been gathered from various human society. The caste system is one form resources of the secondary information of a social stratification and it is based on schemes such as published journals, articles, ascription, meaning that there is no social books and electronic documents. The primary mobility within the society (Fuller, C.J., data also has been gathered from the 1996). Therefore, this paper tries to structured interview with key informants. The emphasize the social class and caste systems following groups of people were interviewed among Sri Lankan communities with the as key informants; Academics; Religious evaluation and the overview of the historical leader; Experienced people.This paper evidences and records. analyzes the data of social stratification along the lines of organizational theory and relevant Problem Statement published materials. Every society has maintained its stratification in various forms as the stratification is Conceptualizing Social Class identified as natural one in all societies. Social classes are economic or cultural Therefore, this study is significant as it arrangements of groups in society. Social explore how the social class and caste systems class is often discussed in terms of 'social are maintaining social strata among Sri stratification'. Stratification typically VOLUME VIII (1), JUNE 2014 ISSN: 1391-6815 P a g e | 40 “KALAM” International Journal of Faculty of Arts and Culture, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka comprises of three layers: upper class, middle oversimplifies the analysis of student’s class, and lower class. behavior in school. The study found that Spectrum of Social Classes in Society integrating race and class, and race and gender, it argues that, attending only to race oversimplifies behavior analysis and may Upper contribute to perpetuation of gender and class Class biases. An article written by Puja Mondal “Essay on the Caste-Class Nexus in India”, which Middle contains the structural historical perspective Class of caste and class system among Hindu society in India. And the author examined how Hindu society composed and practiced Lower their own caste and class system by using Class different approaches. The article analyzes that the class has been an in-build mechanism within caste, and therefore, caste cannot be seen simply as a ‘ritualistic’ system, and class Thus, it can be discussed in the above cannot be seen as an open system as it has mentioned social class structure and its trend often been influenced by the institution of in Sri Lankan society historically. caste. Literature Review Brian K. Smith has written a book titled Literatures related to this study are also “Classifying the Universe: The Ancient Indian amalgamated in this paper. Allison Davis et Varna System and the Origins of Caste”, al. (1941) done a research on “Deep South: A which comprehensively examines the ‘Varna’ Social Anthropological Study of Caste and (Chathurvarna) system and its origination laid Class”. In this study, the American cast and out in the classical Hindu Vedic literature and class were analyzed especially lower Negro thought to underline the concept of caste, caste systems. Meantime, the white caste which continue to exert a powerful and (whit upper, white middle, white lower) and pervasive influence over Indian life. social mobility within the white caste is also investigated by the authors. Further, the study Many studies carried out and provided reveals the division of labor (based on caste different finding and conclusion on the basis and class structure) and its exercises in the of the study area and the research content. So, plantation sector economy and it identifies this study basically focuses the social how caste and class control the land in old stratification; class and caste systems period. Also this study elaborates the followed by the Sri Lankan communities relationship between caste and race based on within the multi cultural sphere. anthropological perspective. The research paper titled “Race, Class, and Social Class in Sri Lanka Society: Gender in Education Research: An Argument Historical View for Integrative Analysis” authored by Carl A. By the late 19th century, the upper class Grant and Christine E. Sleeter, explores that natives of Ceylon (called as Ceylonese by the the race, social class, and gender tend to be British) formed a second class group in their treated as separate issues in education own land, serving to their colonial masters. literatures. And this study illustrates how This upper class of Ceylonese derived their attention to only one status group wealth from land holdings that were passed VOLUME VIII (1), JUNE 2014 ISSN: 1391-6815 P a g e | 41 “KALAM” International Journal of Faculty of Arts and Culture, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka down the generations and derived their power Following the failure of the socialist from severing in posts in the British colonial economic drive of the 1970s the new administration (Ceylon Gazetteer, 1855). government of J. R. Jayawardena opens up the At first, these were limited to post special countries economy to free market reforms. As posts reserved for natives such as Rate well as the free education introduced by Mahattaya in the central highland and the C.W.W. Kanangara also derived many Mudaliyars in the coastal areas, latter as new changes in the social class structure of Sri generation of this native chieftains grew up Lanka historically (De Silva, K. M., 2005). educated in the Christian missionary schools, st public schools modeled after their English Social Class in 21 Century counter parts and at British Universities. They The direct result of the changes of the 1970s th were taken into the prestigious Ceylon civil and 1980s was witnessed only at the late 20 st services; others took up places in the century and start of the 21 century. Today, legislative and later the state council. Entering Sri Lanka’s social structure is based purely on into this upper class were successful money and power consequently. There are merchants who gained wealth in the lucrative four main class component comprised the st mining industry of the time. A middle class hierarchy in Sri Lanka in the 21 century. emerged at this period of a bourgeois people who gained their status by professions or by Upper class business. The upper class in Sri Lanka is statistically very small and consists of industrialists, th The 20 century brought several changes to businessmen, senior executives and serving the social structure of Sri Lanka. By the 1940s government ministers. These people are the when Ceylon gained independence from the wealthiest in the land, some having inherited British in 1948, there were four social groups. money and position, and otherhaving earned it Upper class made up primary of landowners, themselves. Their educational background the upper middle class of educated may vary, but they typically send their professionals holding traditional jobs such as children to national, private or international Lawyers, Doctor, Army Officers, Academics, schools to be educated in English and Senior Civil Servant and Police officers and thereafter send them to overseas Universities. merchants. The political leader of new dominion of Ceylon came from these two Upper middle class classes (Ceylon Gazetteer, 1855). The upper middle class in Sri Lanka consists of bourgeois and educated professionals who Lower middle class made up persons who generally come from educated background, were educated but held less prestigious, but having been educated at public or private respected jobs such as lower level public schools and local or foreign universities. servants, policemen and teachers. This order Traditional jobs include Lawyers, Doctors, changed dramatically in the 1970s due to the Military Officers, Academics, Senior Civil land reformation brought on by the Servants and Managers. They typically send government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike who their children (depending on family income, limited private ownership of land to 50 acres traditions, residence) to national, private or and excess land was nationalized along with international schools to be educated in many industries.
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