Louis Dumont

Homo Hierarchicus

1. IDEA 1

   Caste rests on hierarchy

   Dumont, a French anthropologist, argues that the caste system is best understood through the idea of hierarchy. In his view, Indian society was organised around ranking, unlike modern Western societies built on ideas of equality.

2. IDEA 2

   Purity orders the castes

   Dumont argues that the opposition between purity and impurity is the basic principle of caste. Groups are ranked by their closeness to purity, with priests at the top. In his account, this ranking shapes daily life and customs.

3. IDEA 3

   Higher includes lower

   Dumont describes encompassment, the idea that a higher value contains and ranks lower ones. Hierarchy, in his sense, is about this structure of values. In his view, the idea helps explain how groups can be opposed yet part of one order.

All 8 ideas from Homo Hierarchicus →