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Caste-based segregation
The Constitution of India has officially abolished the system of caste in the country a while ago (1950), and yet it’s hard to get rid of an age-old system that organizes society.
It’s particularly for the dalits (150 million people) – aka the Untouchables or Harijans – that things prove difficult. Being the out-caste “caste” (i.e. so low in the social hierarchy that technically they don't belong to any caste), they’ve never even got a chance to work in agriculture. Everyone from landowners to local farmers look down on them and refuse them jobs on the ground of stereotypes such as “they don’t work, they steal”.
Caste warfare
Segregation can become quite intense when the whole society puts its mind to it. Indians are obviously not evil, but as in any society that struggles with huge poverty, social classes vie for resources.
And the existence of very specific classes in India helps this process. Of course, the picture is not all black & white. Ever since the Constitution was introduced, huge efforts have been made to provide the dalits with jobs and education, while certain groups lobby for their civic rights.
But once again, given the size of India, it would really take the help of the whole population for things to change for good.
Segregation can become quite intense when the whole society puts its mind to it. Indians are obviously not evil, but as in any society that struggles with huge poverty, social classes vie for resources.
And the existence of very specific classes in India helps this process. Of course, the picture is not all black & white. Ever since the Constitution was introduced, huge efforts have been made to provide the dalits with jobs and education, while certain groups lobby for their civic rights.
But once again, given the size of India, it would really take the help of the whole population for things to change for good.
Social, institutional discrimination ?
In a way, the causes of poverty in India partly rely on social structures and relations. This creates a discrimination that generates an “artificial” poverty: between castes and genders, between religions and tribes.
Some are even more artificial considering for instance the knives-out hostility with Indian Muslims, whereas a century ago there were prejudices but certainly not as fierce as they are since the independence of Pakistan.
Likewise, in many cases the situation of women and their bottom-low participation in the economy among Asian countries counts as one more issue among the causes of poverty in India. Their restricted access to education in rural areas also makes any kind of family planning and educative campaign on child diseases or education quasi ineffective.
In a way, the causes of poverty in India partly rely on social structures and relations. This creates a discrimination that generates an “artificial” poverty: between castes and genders, between religions and tribes.
Some are even more artificial considering for instance the knives-out hostility with Indian Muslims, whereas a century ago there were prejudices but certainly not as fierce as they are since the independence of Pakistan.
Likewise, in many cases the situation of women and their bottom-low participation in the economy among Asian countries counts as one more issue among the causes of poverty in India. Their restricted access to education in rural areas also makes any kind of family planning and educative campaign on child diseases or education quasi ineffective.
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