Classes and Castes
Peru does not recognize any official form of caste system but in fact its treatment
of the indigenous population can be seen in many ways as an implicit caste
arrangement. In this implicit caste system, race and/or ethnicity is the major
variable to divide the population into strongly (and after five centuries,
voluntarily) enforced groupings. In Peru's racial hierarchy, very much a remnant
of its colonial past, whites occupy the highest rung of the ladder while the rest of
the population clings to the lowest part depending on their skin color and
implied cultural status. Class also plays a significant role in the social structure,
superimposing itself upon the skewed racial hierarchy of the country. Not
surprisingly, whites tend to occupy the highest positions in the country and also
posses the greatest amount of schooling. The class arrangement, however, is
somewhat more fluid and has allowed for traditionally discriminated individuals
to occupy high status positions either in politics or in the arts (nationally
recognized writers such as César Vallejo and José María Arguedas were of Indian
ancestry). But to a great degree these are individual exceptions that testify to,
rather than question, the harsh caste and class arrangement present in Peru.
Symbols of Social Stratification
Language and dress are the most common symbols to designate either caste or
class differences in Peru. Native American communities still maintain their
indigenous languages such as Quechua, Aymara, and the lesser known Indian
languages spoken by the Amazon groups. Many of these Indian communities
have also maintained some form of traditional dress that identifies them as
belonging to their group of origin. Both the colonial legacy and the contemporary
market economy have contributed to widespread competition for Western status
markers. The ownership of cars, expensive clothing, knowledge of English or
other foreign languages, and modern appliances are typical markers of elite
status in contemporary Peru. Meanwhile lower-class Peruvians can be seen
wearing secondhand clothes and battling to survive almost on a day-to-day basis.
Social Welfare and Change Programs
The Peruvian government has traditionally been involved with national health
and social security benefits; however, the government has had very limited
success in providing Peruvian citizens with adequate care in both areas. In terms
of national health programs, the lack of sufficient doctors and nurses, adequate
hospital facilities, competent rural medicine agenda, and general funding has
contributed to a deficient health system. Meanwhile, shortages of affordable
housing, stable labor conditions, and retirement benefits has also impacted
negatively with the increase of informal economy and the construction of shanty
towns (pueblos jóvenes) around Lima. Modernization, which looks to privatize
many of the social services provided by the Peruvian state, has also had a
negative impact on social welfare programs.