Question

The Jajmani system should be revived to bring back stability in rural livelihoods. Do you agree with the statement? Justify your answer by giving four reasons.

Answer 1

Yes, the Jajmani system should be revived in the rural setup for the following reasons.

• The Jajmani system ensured every caste had an occupation, which reduced unemployment in villages. It established stability and provided economic security to everyone.
• It fostered cooperation and social bonding between landowning and service-providing castes, which were Jajman and Prajan. It made both interdependent.
• The village became a self-sufficient economic unit, not dependent on external markets for economic survival.
• Occupations like pottery, weaving, and blacksmithing were preserved and passed down through generations. The indigenous skills were continued and valued.
• Essential services were always available within the village, ensuring the smooth functioning of the rural community.

No, the Jajmani system should not be revived for the following reasons.

• The Jajmani system led to social disparities. It widened the gulf between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’, the upper castes and the lower castes.
• It discouraged social mobility and social change by rigidly fixing members of a caste to a specific occupation.
• It led to a stagnant and closed society as the ways of living and earning became outmoded and failed to keep pace with the rise of modernisation.
• It became an instrument of exploitation and abuse as the system emanated from the caste system, which was essentially hierarchical and unequal.