not for themselves but for an ideal, the struggle often assumes an extremely fierce and merciless character.
3. Cultural Theory of Social Class and Caste System a. Social Class
According to Bates and Fratkin 321 “social class is used to describe people who have generally similar educational histories, job opportunities, and
social standing.” According to Nanda 312 “in a class system, the different strata classes are not sharply separated from one another but form a continuum.”
Hodges 173 in Bertrand’s book states “social class is a distinct reality which embraces the fact that people live, eat, play, mate, dress, work, and think at
contrasting and dissimilar levels.” According to Hodges, the levels in the social classes are the mixed of shared analgous occupational orientations, educational
backgrounds, economic wherewithal, and life experiences. Bertrand 170 states “in class system there is no rigid limitation on movement from one strata to
another.” It means that in this kind of system, people have chance to move from one class to another. The mobility can be upward or downward.
b. Caste System
Bates and Fratkin 324 state that “membership in caste system is managed at birth.” According to them, caste is unchangeable. It means the caste is attached
permanently and they cannot move across the caste barrier though they have high position in the society. In a caste system, “somebody must marry someone
endogamously within the caste.” This statement is supported by Nanda 313 which says “a caste is based on birth.” She states that “an individual who belongs
to the caste of his or her parents cannot move from one caste to another.” In a caste system society, an individual can marry only within his caste. According to
Nanda, “a caste system consists of a ranked and culturally distinct number of interdependent endogamous group.” Caste system has a clear distinction between
castes. No matter how high a position of a person, he cannot move to the upper caste. Bertrand 165 states that “caste system is characterized by a system of
horizontal classes or castes strata which represent functional areas within a society.” According to him, caste system is recognized as the most rigid.
Therefore, it is called closed societies. Hence, the people do not have the opportunity to move from one caste to another because it is blocked by strong
sanctions.
4. Review on Igbo Culture
