Selfstudy Content

# Meaning of Law The term law has been derived from the Latin term ‘Legam’ which means the ‘body of rules’. A set of rules of conduct established by government for all members of society to obey and follow are called law. The term ‘law’ denotes different kinds of rules and principles. Law is an instrument which regulates human conduct or behavior. Every society is a political organization and in every political organization law is inevitable. Law is a social control over society. Norms, customs, traditions are all come under the law if the law did not exit then the society will not be arranged in a manner. # Definition of Law 1.  According to Austin :- “Law is aggregate of rules set by men politically superior or sovereign to men as politically subject.” 2.  According to Erskine :- “ Law is the command of the sovereign, containing a common rule of life for his subjects and obliging them to obedience.” 3.  According to Salmond :- “The law may be defined as the body of principles reco

# Meaning of Customs Customs can be defined as the something that is a fixed mode of behavior in society which has been established through the years. Customs can also be defined as something that has been established through distinctive practices of people, especially those of a primitive tribe. In simple word, customs are the long established habits and usage of the people. A custom is a cultural idea that describes a regular, patterned behavior that is considered characteristic of life in a social system. Customs exit among all types of societies from primitive to advance. Interestingly, their nature doesn’t change based on literacy, industrialization or other external factors. For example: Such accepted procedures or practice of eating, conversing, meeting people, training the young, caring for the aged, playing, working, etc. # Definition of Customs 1.  According to Maciver :- “The socially accredited ways of acting are the customs of society.” 2.  According to Duncan Mitchell :-

# Meaning of Tribes The word ‘tribe’ is derived from the Latin word ‘tribus’ meaning ‘one third’. The word originally referred to one of the three territorial groups that united to form Rome. A tribe is a group of people who share a common religion, history, language or culture. Each tribe is  unique and often will have own practices, many of which differ from other tribes. Tribes in India are called Janjati, Vanyajati, Vanavasi, Adimjati, Adivasi, etc. # Definition of Tribes 1.  According to Majumdar :- “A tribe is a collection of families or groups of families bearing common name, members of which occupy the same territory, speak the same language and observe certain taboos regarding marriage, profession or occupation and have developed a well-established system of reciprocity and mutuality of obligations.” 2.  According to Gillin :- “Any collection of pre-literate local group that occupies a common general territory, speaks a common language and practices a common culture as a tribe

# Meaning of Scheduled Caste Scheduled caste are those caste/races in the country that suffer from extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of age old practice of untouchability and certain others on account of lack of infrastructure facilities and geographical isolation, and who need special consideration for safeguarding their interests and for their accelerated socio-economic development. Scheduled castes are those castes which were placed at the bottom in the traditional caste system. Usually, they used to perform unclean occupations. So they were treated as polluted and impure. The concept of polluted and impure made them untouchables.  Various names appears for them in literature dealing with scheduled caste. E.g., Shudras, das, chaandal, malechha, untouchables and harijans. In modern literature, the scheduled castes are sometimes referred to as Dalit, meaning ‘broken’ or ‘dispersed’. This term has been popularized by B.R. Ambedkar. Ambedkar preferred the

# Meaning of Varna System The Sanskrit word for caste is Varna which means colour. The caste stratification of the Indian Society had its origin in the Chaturvarna system. According to this doctrine the Hindu society was divided into four varnas- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudra. The ideology is epitomized in texts like Manusmriti, which describes and ranks four varnas, and prescribes their occupations, requirements and duties or Dharma. (a) Brahmins: Vedic scholars, priests or teachers. (b) Kshatriyas: Rulers, administrators or warriors. (c) Vaishyas: Agriculturalists, farmers or merchants. (d) Shudras: Artisans, laborers or servants. The Varna system prevalent during the Vedic period was mainly based on division of labor and occupation. The caste system owns its origin to the Varna system. In India, communities which belong to one of the four Varnas or classes are called savarna Hindus. The Dalits and tribals which do not belong to any varna were called avarna . # Differenc

# In Tabular form Caste Class Membership of caste is based on birth. Membership of class is based on birth, education, wealth, type of occupation, etc. The caste system is based more on birth or hereditary relations. Class is more based on achievement than birth. The number of caste comparatively higher. Class has sub-classes such as upper, middle and lower. Status in caste system is inborn and ascribed. Status in the class system is acquired and achieved. Caste is a close stratification meaning that a person cannot rise above his caste. Class is an open stratification meaning that a person can change his class. Even, Sanskritization is unable to change caste. The class can be changed quite easily. Caste system does hinder democracy. Class system does not hinder democracy. Caste system has comparatively more social distance. Class system has comparatively less social distance.

# Meaning of Social Class Social class also known as class. Class is a large group of people who rank close to one another in terms of wealth, power and prestige. Class is a group of people within a society who possess the same social economic status. Class is a group of people of similar status, rank, common characteristics and similar levels of power and wealth. Status in class system is acquired and achieved. Karl Marx defined class on the basis of consciousness. # Definition of Social Class 1. According to Giddens : - “A class is a large scale grouping of people who share common economic resources, which is strongly influenced the type of lifestyle they are able to lead.” 2. According to Ginsberg :- “A class is a group of individuals who through common descent, the similarity of occupation, wealth and education have come to have a similar stock of ideas, feeling, attitudes and forms of behaviors.” 3. According to Karl Marx :- “A social class as all those people who share a common

# Meaning of Caste The word caste derived from the Portuguese word 'Casta' which means 'species', 'race' or 'breed'. Caste is a system of social stratification. It involves ranking according to birth and determined one's occupation marriage and social relationships. There is a prescribed set of norms, values and sanction which govern social behavior within caste. Caste systems are separated group of people based on their ancestry. They often restrict people to certain professions or who they can marry based upon ancestral lines. In Bhagavad Geeta, it is clearly stated that castes shall be based on qualities and skills. However, in reality the castes are assigned according to birth. # Definition of Caste 1. According to Majumdar and Madan :- “Caste is a closed class.” 2. According to C.H. Cooley :- “When a class is somewhat strictly hereditary, we may call it a caste.” 3. According to Ketker :- “A caste is a group having two characteristics: (a) membe