It is a pity that Caste even today has its defenders. The defences are many. It is defended on the grounds that the Caste System is but another name for division of labour, and if division of labour is a necessary feature of every civilised society, then it is argued that there is nothing wrong in the Caste System. Now the first thing to be urged against this view is that Caste System is not merely division of labour. It is also a division of labourers. Civilised society undoubtedly needs division of labour but nowhere is division of labour accompanied by this unnatural division of labourers into watertight compartments, grading them one above the other. This division of labour is not spontaneous or based on natural aptitudes. Social and individual efficiency requires us to develop the individual capacity and competency to choose and to make his own career. This principle is violated in so far as it involves an attempt to appoint tasks to individuals in advance, not on the basis of trained original capacities, but on that of birth. Industry undergoes rapid and abrupt changes and an individual must be free to change his occupation and adjust himself to changing circumstances, to gain his livelihood. Which of the following observations substantiate the arguments found in the passage above?
(Adapted from Annihilation of Caste by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.)
The passage critiques the argument that the Caste System is merely a division of labour. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar argues that Caste System is fundamentally a division of labourers into rigid, hierarchical, and unnatural compartments based on birth, which prevents individuals from adapting to changing circumstances or choosing their own careers.
Caste System Arguments Substantiated
The core of Ambedkar's argument highlights two main issues with the Caste System when defended as division of labour:
- It's a division of labourers, not just labour.
- This division is unnatural, hierarchical ("grading them one above the other"), and based on birth, not aptitude.
- It violates the principle of individual capacity and the freedom to choose one's career and adapt to change.
Analysis of Options
Let's evaluate the given options against the passage's arguments:
Option 1: Newer generations are unable to change and move away from low-paying family professions, even with changed economic circumstances.
This option directly aligns with the passage's criticism. The phrase "unable to change and move away from low-paying family professions" reflects the "watertight compartments" and inability to choose or change careers based on birth, as described by Ambedkar. The mention of "changed economic circumstances" further supports the idea that individuals are trapped despite the need for adaptability.
Option 2: Sedentary desk jobs are considered to have more value and are in greater demand than those involving manual labour.
The passage mentions the Caste System involves "grading them one above the other." This implies a social hierarchy and a perceived value system attached to different roles. While not explicitly detailed, such hierarchical grading often reflects societal biases where non-manual or "desk jobs" are assigned higher status or value compared to manual labour. This aligns with the concept of inherent grading within the divided labour force.
Option 3: The government's jobs guarantee programme makes low-level management jobs available across all industries to all graduates in the nation.
This option discusses government intervention and job availability, which is unrelated to the passage's focus on the inherent structure and justifications of the Caste System and its impact on individual mobility.
Option 4: A bus driver becomes an app creator and, in the course of one month, reaches one million downloads on Playstore with a four-star rating.
This scenario exemplifies the freedom to change occupation and achieve success based on aptitude and opportunity, which is precisely what the Caste System, as criticized in the passage, prevents. It demonstrates successful adaptation and career change, contrary to the restrictive nature of the Caste System described.
Therefore, options 1 and 2 substantiate the arguments found in the passage.
Important Questions from Analytical Reasoning Drawing Reasonable Conclusions from Passages
- What according to Kant is unconditionally good?
- Which one of the following does cultural relativism in ethics entail ?
- Jean Paul Sartre ontologically distinguishes a knife from a human being. This distinction depends upon which one of the following theses?
- Kant provides a famous refutation of an ontological argument for the existence of God of the kind provided by St. Anselm.
Which one of the following statements appears as a premise in this refutation? - Which of the following claims is/are endorsed by Iqbal in The Secrets of the Self?
