If caste simply tied a man or women to a lowly job by birth, then there is no civilisation in the world that had not been as guilty. It has been argued that caste safeguarded jobs in Hinduism, but it can also be argued that the smithy or any other tradesman in the village of the Middle Ages England would have been in no way disadvantaged as his Hindu counterpart.
Where the two civilisations part company is in their pretentions. The Bhagavid Gita has been interpreted to sanction unequal treatment as is shown in the laws noted by Manu. Thus a grandiose claim to religious sanction became the custom for no reason than the incapacity for Hindu law to develop behond traditional practice. This is not a uniquely Hindu failing, a similar parallel has been drawn with the Shariat.
Western thought and practice is supported by the twin pillars of logic derived from Roman political ideals and law, and a Christian God who has made man his equal in rational thought. This made justice real and attainable in the Western world which reliance on customery Hindu law was never capable of achieving. This is evidenced in a celebrated case of a noble sentenced to death for the murder of his underling. Before their almighty creator, the smithy and servant is the equal of the noble himself. This will come as a disappointment to some Hindus which included Gandhi that the resurrection of traditional Hindu society would solve such failings. They little understand what law and politics entails.
