The infamous "caste system" is the result of the reincarnation and karma doctrines. The 4 castes eventually developed into a social mosaic of 3,000 sub-castes with the Untouchables at the bottom of the list, as virtually inhuman, good only to clean dirt and excrement... and without any hope of redemption or betterment because their miserable destiny has been predetermined by a former existence. And the priestly Brahmin class, the highest one, sees no need to extend acts of kindness to the less fortunate; because to do so would interfere with the karma of those beneath them and bring disrespect upon the privileges of their class, a status which they deserve because of their conduct in previous reincarnations. To do good to one of the lower classes, according to reincarnation, would only interfere with the divine cosmic law of karmic punishment.
Castes in India
Nowhere is caste better exemplified by degree of complexity and systematic operation than in India. The Indian term for caste is jati, which generally designates a group varying in size from a handful to many thousands. There are thousands of such jatis, and each has its distinctive rules, customs, and modes of government. The term varna (literally meaning "color") refers to the ancient and somewhat ideal fourfold division of Hindu society: (1) the Brahmans, the priestly and learned class; (2) the Kshatriyas, the warriors and rulers; (3) the Vaisyas, farmers and merchants; and (4) the Sudras, peasants and laborers. These divisions may have corresponded to what were formerly large, broad, undifferentiated social classes. Below the category of Sudras were the untouchables, or Panchamas (literally "fifth division"), who performed the most menial tasks.
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