Section Article

Emile Durkheim’s Division of Labour and the Caste System in Indian Society
Author(s): Edward A. Mendhe

Abstract
Émile Durkheim’s theory of the division of labour presented in his seminal work The Division of Labour in Society (1893) seeks to explain how social cohesion emerges from the specialization of work. According to Durkheim the division of labour fosters social solidarity by integrating individuals into a collective system of interdependence. While this model reflects an open dynamic social structure the Indian caste system represents a starkly contrasting form of labour division—one that is rigid hierarchical and inherently unequal. This essay critically examines the application of Durkheim’s theoretical framework to the Indian caste system arguing that while both systems regulate social roles the caste-based division of labour fails to achieve the organic solidarity envisioned by Durkheim. Instead it perpetuates social stratification and restricts social mobility. Through a comparative analysis this essay will explore how the structural rigidity of the caste system deviates from the fluidity and interdependence central to Durkheim’s concept.