Castes and Classism - AnnaKate Burleson

As I was reading these selections from Livy (which took me a lot longer than I would like to admit), I began to see a lot of parallels between Rome and India. India used to have an incredibly rigid caste system in place that prevented people with different socioeconomic standings from marrying. In recent years, this system does not really have an effect on most people living in India because of the urbanization and spread of secular education. However, when the caste system was in its prime, it seems that it very similar to the way Rome is described in this week's reading, which states, "What other result would mixed marriages have except to make unions between patricians and plebeians almost like the promiscuous associations between animals? The offspring of such marriages would not know whose blood ran through his veins, what sacred rites he might perform; half of him patrician, half plebeian, he would not even be in harmony with himself." This sounds so absurd to us now in our modern society. The issue of intermarriage is something that we usually associate with race. But intermarriage between different socioeconomic groups has been controversial in more societies than just Rome, as we can see in Indian history. And in a way, we can still see shadows of this in our modern world. High-class and even upper middle-class citizens today definitely still have a negative view of citizens below the poverty line. And it isn't necessarily as socially unacceptable now to marry into different socioeconomic classes, but it is definitely not encouraged either.
It was refreshing to see Canuleius' response to all this, though. He recognizes that this classist mindset doesn't benefit anyone but the rich. He states, "There is nothing that we seek in intermarriage with you, except that we may be reckoned among men and citizens; there is nothing for you to fight about, unless you delight in trying how far you can insult and degrade us." There is no true basis for this caste system, and it's important that this is recognized.


P.S. I commented on Joshua's and Will's