The continuing significance of Oliver Cox's Caste, Class, and Race.

This article critically reassesses Oliver C. Cox’s 1948 work *Caste, Class, and Race*, which compares India’s caste system to racial stratification in the United States, highlighting Cox’s argument that these systems arise from distinct historical and economic contexts—caste from a religiously sanctioned estate society and race from capitalist exploitation. The article contrasts Cox’s views with those of Isabel Wilkerson, Bhimrao Ambedkar, and Gunnar Myrdal, noting Cox’s emphasis on the political-economic motives behind racial discrimination and his critique of applying the caste framework to U.S. race relations. While Cox’s portrayal of the Indian caste system as stable and religiously grounded has been criticized for overlooking resistance and colonial influences, his analysis remains significant for distinguishing caste from race and for situating racial prejudice within capitalist class interests. The article calls for renewed scholarly engagement with Cox’s work, especially regarding the interplay of caste, race, capitalism, and intolerance in social stratification.