Social Stratification and Class Formation Under British Colonial Rule in India: Historical Transformations, Economic Policies, and the Legacy of Inequality in Modern Society

Abstract

The study explores the evolution of social stratification and class formation during British colonial rule in India, analyzing how economic policies, land reforms, and administrative structures reshaped traditional caste hierarchies. It examines how colonial capitalism and the introduction of Western education altered occupational divisions and social mobility. The paper also discusses the theoretical perspectives of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Louis Dumont to interpret the interplay between caste, class, and colonial modernity. Finally, it evaluates the enduring legacy of these transformations in shaping modern India’s inequalities and class-based social order.