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This article throws light upon the seven important factors contributing towards dominance. The factors are: 1. Land Ownership 2. Numerical Strength 3. High Ritual Status 4. High Educational and Occupational Position 5. High Economic Position 6. Job in Administration and Urban Sources of Income 7. Political Involvement.
Factor # 1. Land Ownership:
M.N. Srinivas says that land-ownership is a crucial factor in establishing a dominance.
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He observes:
Land ownership confers not only power but prestige, so much so that individuals who have made good in any walk of life tend to invest in land.
If land-ownership is not always an indispensable passport to high rank, it certainly facilitates upward mobility.
In villages those castes which have larger portion of land, enjoy power and prestige. Generally, the big landowners come from higher castes. Srinivas cites the examples of Thakur landlords denying to accept cooked food from all Brahmins except their Guru and the landowning Jats treating Brahmins as their servants in Punjab.
Factor # 2. Numerical Strength:
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Numerical strength of caste assumes importance because of the vote bank created by adult suffrage. The more the number the greater the power. In many areas the Kshatriyas due to their large population are able to dominate the rich Brahmin.
They are also able to dominate the socio-political scene. Numerical strength did not have any strength of the dominance of a caste before the advent of modernisation and development.
Factor # 3. High Ritual Status:
In every locality a specific caste is accorded high status owing to its ritual purity or ritual status. Normally, the caste which is traditionally higher in the caste hierarchy enjoys the status of dominance. The Brahmins occupy the topmost position in the caste hierarchy. The Rajputs have traditionally occupied larger portions of the village land, so Brahmins and Rajputs have traditionally been dominant in the villages.
Factor # 4. High Educational and Occupational Position:
The educated people and also the people who are placed in high occupations, due to their well information, knowledge about various developmental activities, plans and programmes are also in better position to utilize them which aids to their prosperity in making them dominant.
Due to their high education they win the confidence of the masses. Villagers are aware of the importance of education in improving their social status.
Factor # 5. High Economic Position:
If the caste members bear high economic position with relatively better standard of living, then they yield dominance. For example, the Christians in Kerala.
Factor # 6. Job in Administration and Urban Sources of Income:
The caste, majority members of which are in government bureaucracy find them in an advantageous position. They hold legal and administrative powers. They help their caste fellows by urban sources like supplying food-grains etc.
Factor # 7. Political Involvement:
The caste which is involved in the political affairs of the state, automatically raises its position. They are able to dominate the socio-political structure.