In praise of caste: a tribute to Manu - the law giver an enquiry into the philosophy of work and stratification Part I

Abstract

This paper analyses the question: ' How is one work different from the other? and proposes the following seven basic propositions: 1. Greater the degree of mental component in a work, higher will be the rating of that work in the hierarchy of work. 2. Greater the unknown a human mind has to cope with or manipulate or deal with, higher will be the rating of mental work. 3. Greater the hurt caused to the senses by the manual component in the work, lower is the rating of that work in the hierarchy of work. 4. Greater the contribution of work, whether mental or manual, to the survival of members of the society and society at large, higher will be the rating of that work. 5. Higher the rating of work higher will be the status of person doing that work. 6. Greater the difference between the inherent, rating associated status (ascribed status) and the status actually enjoyed (achieved or imposed), higher will be the tension in an organization, group community, society. In addition, there are thirteen other propositions which are a corollary of these or are derived from the explanations of contradictions to the seven basic propositions. All these propositions indicate that as long as the Rating- Status Equity Law operates, there is harmony.