Caste as an ideological apparatus of accumulation and oppression: revisiting the stratification framework

Caste within Indian society remains an oppressive living reality for the vast majority and a privilege for a few. This reality, however, has not remained static; it has evolved over time. This paper examines two aspects of caste. First, it positions itself within the debate on stratification, arguing against the essentialized nature of caste-based inequality and showing instead how such inequality has been perpetuated through a variety of ideological apparatuses – including rituals and religious sanctions linked to hierarchy and difference. Second, it argues that the ever-expanding use of these ideological apparatuses over centuries has produced persistent and growing economic, social, and political deprivation, reflected today in demands for a caste census and redistribution of wealth. The paper concludes that caste oppression itself functions as an ideological apparatus in the service of capital, as indicated by its comfortable relationship with capital.