CASTE, A LIMITING FACTOR 25 



human beings, indicates that not a little of the malnutri- 

 tion of India is due to the absence of fresh vegetables in 

 the diet of the farmer. This limiting of production is 

 one of the economic aspects of caste, but the caste system 

 also has its religious and its social aspects. 



In Southern India, as is well known, there exist im- 

 mense numbers of so-called untouchable classes, to whom, 

 particularly on the Malabar side, are denied what might 

 be called the elementary rights of human beings. They 

 are condemned to live far beyond the outskirts of the 

 villages; they are forbidden to use many of the public 

 roads; their very approach within a certain number of 

 yards is accounted contamination. As a result of this, 

 these depressed classes live in hovels and seem to delight 

 in dirt. From a casual appearance it would appear that 

 the great majority of them have lost whatever innate 

 love of cleanliness human beings may be expected to 

 possess. They have no education, because they cannot 

 afford to take advantage of it even if it is proffered 

 free. They have no outlook in life ; they are condemned 

 to the most degrading forms of labor. But the root of 

 the matter is less economic than social. Until these de- 

 pressed classes can be put on a level with their fellow- 

 men, can be treated as equals, and relieved from the 

 moral degradation into which they have been thrown 

 by centuries of scorn, it is difficult to do very much with 

 them. Official orders can be passed in such directions 

 as insisting that children of the depressed classes should 

 be admitted into schools, that members of these classes 

 should have proper houses and free access to the public 

 water-supply; but in the absence of public opinion it is 

 quite impossible for Government to enforce these orders 

 which fly in the face of habits centuries old. In addi- 



