Caste vs. Class: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Published on November 8, 2023
Caste is a hereditary system determining social status, while Class refers to societal divisions based on wealth, education, or occupation.
Key Differences
Caste denotes a rigid, hereditary system of social stratification prevalent mainly in some Asian countries. Class, on the other hand, is a flexible division in societies based on economic or educational status.
In a caste system, individuals are born into a certain caste and it usually determines their occupation, social interactions, and marriage prospects. Class, in contrast, can be more fluid; individuals can move between classes through changes in income, education, or occupation.
Caste often holds religious or cultural significance, making it deeply entrenched in the society's structure and more resistant to change. Class divisions, however, can change over time as economic conditions shift and individuals or families increase or decrease in wealth.
Traditionally, caste systems have fixed roles and duties associated with each caste. The concept of class does not prescribe specific roles or duties, but it can dictate the opportunities available to individuals based on their socioeconomic status.
Caste-based discrimination has been a controversial and persistent issue in societies that recognize it. In contrast, class discrimination, often related to economic disparities, is a widespread issue found globally, irrespective of cultural or religious backgrounds.
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Comparison Chart
Basis
Birth
Wealth, education, or occupation
Fluidity
Rigid and fixed
Can be changed over time
Associated Roles
Prescribed roles/duties
No specific roles/duties
Significance
Often religious/cultural
Economic
Discrimination
Based on birth status
Based on socioeconomic status
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Caste and Class Definitions
Caste
A division in society based on heredity and lifelong status.
The notion of caste plays a significant role in some religions.
Class
A group of people sharing similar economic circumstances.
The working class often demands better wages and working conditions.
Caste
A rank or class of persons in society.
The artist belonged to a lower caste but was respected for his talents.
Class
A division based on qualities, characteristics, or similarities.
The students were divided into different classes based on their skill level.
Caste
A distinct social category to which a person belongs, often related to birthright.
He was ostracized for marrying outside his caste.
Class
A level of society representing shared economic or social status.
Economic policies can impact different classes differently.
Caste
A system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary transmission of a way of life.
The caste dynamics in traditional societies restricted upward mobility.
Class
A set, collection, group, or configuration containing members regarded as having certain attributes or traits in common; a kind or category.
Caste
A hereditary division in societies, often associated with occupation or birth.
The caste system in India has been a topic of intense debate.
Class
A grade of mail
A package sent third class.
Caste
Any of the hereditary, endogamous social classes or subclasses of traditional Hindu society, stratified according to Hindu ritual purity, especially the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra castes.
Class
A quality of accommodation on public transport
Tourist class.
Caste
A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank, profession, or wealth.
Class
A social stratum whose members share certain economic, social, or cultural characteristics
The lower-income classes.
Caste
A social system or the principle of grading society based on castes.
Class
Social rank or caste, especially high rank.
Caste
The social position or status conferred by a system based on castes
Lose caste by doing work beneath one's station.
Class
(Informal)Elegance of style, taste, and manner
An actor with class.
Caste
A specialized level in a colony of social insects, such as ants, in which the members, such as workers or soldiers, carry out a specific function.
Class
A group of students who are taught together, usually at a regularly scheduled time and in the same subject.
Caste
Any of the hereditary social classes and subclasses of South Asian societies.
Class
The period during which such a group meets
Had to stay after class.
Caste
A separate and fixed order or class of persons in society who chiefly associate with each other.
Class
The subject material taught to or studied by such a group
Found the math class challenging.
Caste
(zoology) A class of polymorphous eusocial insects of a particular size and function within a colony.
Class
A group of students or alumni who have the same year of graduation.
Caste
One of the hereditary classes into which the Hindu are divided according to the laws of Brahmanism.
Class
(Biology)A taxonomic category ranking below a phylum or division and above an order.
Caste
A separate and fixed order or class of persons in society who chiefly hold intercourse among themselves.
The tinkers then formed an hereditary caste.
Class
(Statistics)An interval in a frequency distribution.
Caste
Social status or position conferred by a system based on class;
Lose caste by doing work beneath one's station
Class
(Linguistics)A group of words belonging to the same grammatical category that share a particular set of morphological properties, such as a set of inflections.
Caste
(Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity
Class
(Mathematics)A collection of sets whose members share a specified property.
Caste
A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth
Class
To arrange, group, or rate according to qualities or characteristics; assign to a class; classify.
Class
(countable) A group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes.
The new Ford Fiesta is set to be best in the 'small family' class.
That is one class-A heifer you got there, sonny.
Often used to imply membership of a large class.
This word has a whole class of metaphoric extensions.
Class
A social grouping, based on job, wealth, etc. In Britain, society is commonly split into three main classes: upper class, middle class and working class.
Class
(uncountable) The division of society into classes.
Jane Austen's works deal with class in 18th-century England.
Class
(uncountable) Admirable behavior; elegance.
Apologizing for losing your temper, even though you were badly provoked, showed real class.
Class
A group of students in a regularly scheduled meeting with a teacher.
The class was noisy, but the teacher was able to get their attention with a story.
Class
A series of lessons covering a single subject.
I took the cooking class for enjoyment, but I also learned a lot.
Class
(countable) A group of students who commenced or completed their education during a particular year. A school class.
The class of 1982 was particularly noteworthy.
Class
(countable) A category of seats in an airplane, train or other means of mass transportation.
I used to fly business class, but now my company can only afford economy.
Class
A rank in the classification of organisms, below phylum and above order; a taxon of that rank.
Magnolias belong to the class Magnoliopsida.
Class
Best of its kind.
It is the class of Italian bottled waters.
Class
(statistics) A grouping of data values in an interval, often used for computation of a frequency distribution.
Class
(set theory) A collection of sets definable by a shared property.
The class of all sets is not a set.
Every set is a class, but classes are not generally sets. A class that is not a set is called a proper class.
Class
(military) A group of people subject to be conscripted in the same military draft, or more narrowly those persons actually conscripted in a particular draft.
Class
A set of objects having the same behavior (but typically differing in state), or a template defining such a set in terms of its common properties, functions, etc.
An abstract base class
Class
One of the sections into which a Methodist church or congregation is divided, supervised by a class leader.
Class
(transitive) To assign to a class; to classify.
I would class this with most of the other mediocre works of the period.
Class
(intransitive) To be grouped or classed.
Class
(transitive) To divide into classes, as students; to form into, or place in, a class or classes.
Class
Great; fabulous
Class
A group of individuals ranked together as possessing common characteristics; as, the different classes of society; the educated class; the lower classes.
Class
A number of students in a school or college, of the same standing, or pursuing the same studies.
Class
A comprehensive division of animate or inanimate objects, grouped together on account of their common characteristics, in any classification in natural science, and subdivided into orders, families, tribes, genera, etc.
Class
A set; a kind or description, species or variety.
She had lost one class energies.
Class
One of the sections into which a church or congregation is divided, and which is under the supervision of a class leader.
Class
One session of formal instruction in which one or more teachers instruct a group on some subject. The class may be one of a course of classes, or a single special session.
Class
A high degree of elegance, in dress or behavior; the quality of bearing oneself with dignity, grace, and social adeptness.
Class
To arrange in classes; to classify or refer to some class; as, to class words or passages.
Class
To divide into classes, as students; to form into, or place in, a class or classes.
Class
To be grouped or classed.
The genus or family under which it classes.
Class
Exhibiting refinement and high character; as, a class act. Opposite of low-class
Class
People having the same social or economic status;
The working class
An emerging professional class
Class
A body of students who are taught together;
Early morning classes are always sleepy
Class
Education imparted in a series of lessons or class meetings;
He took a course in basket weaving
Flirting is not unknown in college classes
Class
A collection of things sharing a common attribute;
There are two classes of detergents
Class
A body of students who graduate together;
The class of '97
She was in my year at Hoehandle High
Class
A league ranked by quality;
He played baseball in class D for two years
Princeton is in the NCAA Division 1-AA
Class
Elegance in dress or behavior;
She has a lot of class
Class
(biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more orders
Class
Arrange or order by classes or categories;
How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?
Class
A division of society based on socioeconomic status.
The middle class has been facing economic challenges.
Class
A category or rank used for differentiation.
He belonged to the upper class of society.
FAQs
What defines class?
Class refers to societal divisions based on factors like wealth, education, or occupation.
Is caste purely an Asian phenomenon?
While most commonly associated with South Asia, especially India, similar systems have been found in other parts of the world.
Is caste only about occupation?
While often linked to occupation, caste is also deeply rooted in heritage, birth, and societal status.
Is it easy to change one's class?
Class can be fluid; individuals might move between classes due to changes in socioeconomic conditions.
How is wealth related to class?
Wealth is a major determinant of one's class in many societies, influencing status and opportunities.
What is caste?
Caste is a hereditary system of social stratification, mainly found in some Asian countries.
How does caste impact societal interactions?
Caste can determine social interactions, marriage prospects, and even occupations in certain societies.
Are there any legal measures against caste discrimination?
Many countries, like India, have introduced laws and measures to combat caste-based discrimination.
Can one change their caste?
Traditionally, caste is fixed by birth and cannot be changed.
Can class-based discrimination be found globally?
Yes, class-based discrimination, often related to economic disparities, is found across various societies.
How does class affect political power?
Class can influence political power, with higher classes often having more influence or representation.
Do all societies have a caste system?
No, not all societies have a caste system. It's more prevalent in specific cultural or regional contexts.
Do caste and class intersect?
In societies with caste systems, caste and class can intersect, especially where economic disparity aligns with caste divisions.
How do caste and class affect individual identity?
Both can shape one's identity, self-worth, societal interactions, and opportunities.
Does class have any religious significance?
Typically, class doesn't hold religious significance, but it has economic and social implications.
How does education influence class?
Education can be a significant factor for upward mobility, influencing one's class in many societies.
Can one belong to multiple classes?
While primarily belonging to one class, individuals can exhibit characteristics or lifestyles associated with other classes.
How do modern societies view caste systems?
Modern societies often criticize and challenge caste systems for being discriminatory and unjust.
Can class systems be found in all societies?
While the nuances differ, most societies have some form of class or economic stratification.
Are caste and class solely economic concepts?
While class is often economic, caste is multifaceted, encompassing religion, culture, and heritage.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
