Effectively understanding the Gorean mindset
requires a comprehension of the differences
between Gorean society and Earth society.
Civilized Gorean society has three primary
societal institutions that differ from most
of Earth. By civilized Gor, I mean the
cities, towns and villages of Gor. It does
not include the barbaric lands of such
people as the Torvaldslanders, the Wagon
Peoples, the Red Savages, or the Red
Hunters. These three differences permeate
Gorean society and make it a vastly
different world from Earth. They are not the
only differences but they are very important
matters and may be difficult for Earth
people to understand.
These three pillars of civilized Gor are the
Home Stone, Caste System and Slavery. Earth
has nothing comparable to the concept of the
Home Stone. The patriotism of a nation of
Earth to its flag, or other national symbol,
is a pale comparison to the concept of the
Home Stone. India is one of the last
bastions on Earth with a caste system though
it is still radically different from the
system used on Gor. Slavery exists in some
corners of Earth but nowhere even close to
the nature and extent as it exists on Gor.
Thus, without further explanation, one may
not possess an adequate foundation to truly
grasp the nature of these Gorean
institutions.
Home
Stone
"Do not ask a Gorean what the Home Stone
means because he will not understand your
question. It will puzzle him. It is the Home
Stone." (Magicians of Gor, p.485-6)
To define the concept of a Home Stone is a
difficult, if not impossible, task. It is a
cultural concept that resists definition by
outsiders and needs no definition within its
own society. "But I think, often, that it is
a mistake to try to translate the Home Stone
into meanings. It is not a word, or a
sentence. It does not really translate. It
is, more like a tree, or the world. It
exists, which goes beyond, which surpasses,
meaning. In this primitive sense the Home
Stone is simply that, and irreducibly, the
Home Stone. It is too important, too
precious to mean. And in not meaning, it
becomes, of course, the most meaningful of
all." (Magicians of Gor, p.485) Thus, it is
almost a contradiction to try to define it
here, as it may be unfathomable to
nonGoreans. But, I shall try to provide such
clarification as to the basics of the Home
Stone though this may be insufficient in
truly defining the concept.
Goreans view their cities as almost living
things. They see a city as an entity with a
history, tradition, heritage, customs,
practices, character, intentions, and hopes.
To be "of" a city gives a person a sense of
immortality though Goreans know that even a
city can be destroyed. This love of their
city is invested in the Home Stone, which in
many respects is the very soul of a city.
The Home Stone is a valuable symbol of
sovereignty and territory. The very term
"Gor" means Home Stone in all of the
languages of Gor. It should also be
mentioned that in the books, the term "Home
Stone" is always capitalized and separated
into two words.
Cities are vitally important to Goreans, far
greater than the average Earth person
considers his own city or country. "For the
Gorean, though he seldom speaks of these
things, a city is more than brick and
marble, cylinders and bridges. It is not
simply a place, a geographical location in
which men have seen fit to build their
dwellings, a collection of structures where
they may most conveniently conduct their
affairs." (Outlaw of Gor, p.22) A city is
considered to be almost a living entity, one
with a past, present and future. It is a
complex entity, with many varied layers.
"For them a city is almost a living thing,
or more than a living thing. It is an entity
with a history, as stones and rivers do not
have history; it is an entity with a
tradition, a heritage, customs, practices,
character, intentions, hopes. When a Gorean
says, for example, that he is 'of' Ar, or
Ko-ro-ba, he is doing a great deal more than
informing you of his place of residence."
(Outlaw of Gor, p.22) Cities instill great
loyalty and pride within their citizenry. As
many Goreans rarely travel, their city may
be the only location they ever truly know.
Thus, the city is the center of their lives,
the focal point of their existence. And
thus, citizens work hard to defend their
city and make it prosper.
A Home Stone is an actual stone and can be
of various shapes, sizes, materials and
colors. There are no standards for them and
a Home Stone could be the most simple and
common of rocks. A Home Stone could also be
an intricately carved, valuable stone while
others simply have a single letter etched
into them, often the initial letter of the
city. Some large cities have small stones,
though the stones are of great antiquity. By
tradition, the Home Stone of Ar, allegedly
over ten thousand years old, is accepted as
being the oldest Home Stone on Gor. Other
cities have only recently acquired a Home
Stone. For instance, Port Kar only acquired
their Home Stone in 10120 C.A., during the
events of Raiders of Gor. A rock was picked
up off the street and given to Tarl Cabot
who then etched the initials of the city
into it. Next, he presented it to the people
of Port Kar who chose to accept it as their
own. The acquisition of a Home Stone can be
that simple. Basically, all it takes to
create a Home Stone is for someone or a
group to choose to have one. When Tarl
offered the Home Stone to the people of Port
Kar, it transformed them, unifying them when
they faced a dire enemy who sought to
conquer their city. It may seem like merely
a rock, but it is a very potent symbol.
The history of the concept of the Home Stone
extends back thousands of years. Its actual
origin is unknown but there are some
theories as to its creation. It is said that
long ago, peasants used to construct
circular huts, built around a flat stone.
This stone would be carved with their family
sign and eventually was called a Home Stone.
Thus, each peasant, within his own hut,
became a sovereign. "A palace without a Home
Stone is a hovel; a hovel with a Home Stone
is a palace." (Slave Girl of Gor, p.142)
Over time, as communities developed and
expanded, the use of Home Stones extended to
cover and unite villages, then towns and
cities. In a village, the central Home Stone
would be commonly placed in the central
market area. In a city, the central Home
Stone was usually placed freely in the top
of the highest tower, often the Central
Cylinder, though it was kept well guarded.
There are also several mythical accounts of
the origin of the Home Stone. One of the
most common of these stories revolves around
the actions of Hesius, the mythical first
man of Gor.
"One popular account has it that an ancient
hero, Hesius, once performed great labors
for Priest-Kings, and was promised a reward
greater than gold and silver. He was given,
however, only a flat piece of rock with a
single character inscribed upon it, the
first letter in the name of his native
village. He reproached the Priest-Kings with
their niggardliness, and what he regarded as
their breach of faith. He was told, however,
that what they gave him was indeed worth far
more than gold and silver, that it was a
'Home Stone.' He returned to his native
village, which was torn with war and strife.
He told the story there, and put the stone
in the market place.
'If the Priest-Kings say this is worth more
than gold and silver,' said a wise man, 'it
must be true.'
'Yes,' said the people. 'Whose Home Stone is
it?' asked the people, 'yours or ours?'
"Ours,' responded Hesius.
Weapons were then laid aside, and peace
pledged. The name of the village was 'Ar.'
(Dancer of Gor, p.302)
Where a man sets his Home Stone down on a
piece of land, he is claiming by law that
land for himself. "The Home Stone says this
place is mine, this is my home." (Magicians
of Gor, p.485) The Home Stone is integrally
linked to a certain territory, from as small
as a tiny hut to as large as a great city.
Yet its power extends beyond that territory
as well. For a Home Stone can be moved
though that is rarely done. It most often
occurs when the territory covered by the
Home Stone is seriously threatened. Rather
than allow the Home Stone to be conquered,
taken as booty, the Home Stone may be
secreted away. Thus, if a city is attacked,
conquered and destroyed, then it may not
signal a final death knell as long as the
Home Stone survives. For example, when
Ko-ro-ba was completely destroyed by an
edict of the Priest-Kings, Matthew Cabot
retained the Home Stone, thus keeping the
city alive. Even though its citizens were
scattered all over Gor and no building stood
on the spot where the city once was, the
survival of the Home Stone ensured that the
city still survived. Ko-ro-ba would later be
rebuilt around its Home Stone at its
original location.
There is a hierarchy of Home Stones as a
person could be subject to multiple Home
Stones. For example, a man may possess a
household Home Stone but also live in a
village that possesses its own Home Stone.
The common bond of the Home Stone unites its
people and they will support and protect all
those who share their Home Stone. Even
bitter enemies will assist each other to
defend a shared Home Stone. "The sharing of
a Home Stone is no light thing in a Gorean
city." (Slave Girl of Gor, p.394) Some
Goreans desire a single supreme Home Stone
for all of Gor though such a dream,
considering the fierce independence of
Goreans, is very unlikely to ever occur.
Some people though believe that the Priest
Kings possess such a Home Stone, which is
also the source of their great power.
The Home Stone is the center of various
rituals within the cities such as the
Planting Feast of Sa-Tarna. Each city has a
citizenship ceremony where individuals, who
reach the age of intellectual majority,
swear an oath of allegiance to their city
while touching or kissing the Home Stone.
You cannot be a citizen of a city without
pledging yourself to its Home Stone and you
may not be pledged to the Home Stones of two
different cities. You cannot possess such a
split loyalty. You can renounce your Home
Stone and change your citizenship to another
city but this is rarely done. Loyalty to
one's Home Stone is firmly engrained in most
people so such an idea is almost
incomprehensible.
Stealing a Home Stone is a heinous sacrilege
and punishable by the most painful and
torturous of deaths. But, it is also
considered one of the greatest glories to
steal a Home Stone from another city. In
Tarnsman of Gor, Tarl Cabot stole the Home
Stone of mighty Ar. This earned him glory in
the eyes of many though the city of Ar
wished him to die horribly. Even when Tarl
and Marlenus became almost friends, Marlenus
could not forgive him for the prior offense
of stealing the Home Stone. As Ubar,
Marlenus could never do so. The theft of a
Home Stone is devastating to a city, almost
as if you have torn its very soul from it.
It most often means the death of a city, or
at least a terrible decline.
But, stealing a Home Stone is not an easy
task as it engenders great reservoirs of
strength in those who cherish it. "One does
not lightly dispute the passage of one who
carries his Home Stone." (Nomads of Gor,
p.1) Even a trained warrior would be very
wary of the lowest of Castes who were
carrying their Home Stone. The loyalty and
pride in your Home Stone seems to release
floodgates of hidden strengths. When it is
directly threatened, a Gorean is able to
overcome many obstacles to ensure its
safety, ".., for in the vicinity of their
Home Stone men fight with all the courage,
savagery and resourcefulness of the mountain
larl." (Outlaw of Gor, p.29)
A Home Stone unifies the people of a city.
It is more important than caste prejudices
or other forms of prejudice. It inspires
intense loyalty; great enough that most
would die to protect it. It is said that:
"Indeed, there is a saying on Gor, a saying
whose origin is lost in the past of this
strange planet, that one who speaks of Home
Stones should stand, for matters of honor
are here involved, and honor is respected in
the barbaric codes of Gor." (Tarnsman of
Gor, p.27) This is sometimes taken to an
extreme where a man might even be killed if
he does not stand out of respect when he
speaks of his Home Stone. There is no symbol
on Earth that has a similar function to a
Home Stone. Patriotism to a flag is but a
pale analogy to the Home Stone. Goreans look
down on Earth because there are no Home
Stone there. They also believe that the lack
of a Home Stone means that there are no
legal reasons why the people of Earth cannot
be enslaved.
"But let me not try to speak of Home Stones.
If you have a Home Stone, I need not speak.
If you do not have a Home Stone, how could
you understand what I might say?" (Fighting
Slave of Gor, p.145)
Caste
System
"How hard it is for two who do not share
caste to understand one another," he said."
(Explorers of Gor, p.431)
The Gorean society of the city-states has a
firmly established Caste System and almost
all Free Persons of these city-states belong
to a Caste. The Caste system is a vital
component of civilized Gorean society. The
Gorean Caste system is not based on the
caste system of India but rather derives its
inspiration from Plato's The Republic. In
its most basic form, a Gorean Caste
constitutes your profession though that is a
vast oversimplification. Your Caste also
defines your codes of conduct, provides
certain benefits, limits those you would
normally interact with socially, sets your
place within the Gorean societal hierarchy,
and much more. Your Caste defines much of
who you are on Gor, far more than any job or
profession on Earth ever would. It is an
integral part of many different aspects of
your life. One's loyalty to their Caste is
also extremely important.
There are three basic categories that exist
outside of the Caste system: Priest-Kings,
outlaws and slaves. Priest-Kings are the
"gods" of Gor, the mysterious overseers who
live hidden beneath the Sardar Mountains.
Few Goreans know their true nature and the
Priest-Kings fervently protect their
secrets. Priest-Kings are considered to be
"above caste." Outlaws, who have
relinquished caste, are considered to be
"out of caste." Slaves, who are legally
considered property, cannot have any Caste
so they are considered to be "below caste"
or "aside from caste" or "apart from caste."
In general, those who do possess Caste look
upon most of those without a Caste with
disdain.
There are some others who do not fall into
one of these three major categories but whom
are still outside of the Caste system. Some
people have lost their Caste for various
reasons. For example, a slave who is freed
has no Caste upon manumission. They must
petition to join a Caste, even if they had
belonged to a Caste before they had been
enslaved. A few people are born outside of
the Caste system such as the children of an
outlaw. A few occupations are not associated
with a Caste such as gardening, domestic
service and herding. Some of these people
still have a connection to a Home Stone and
thus are not in the same predicament as an
outlaw though their lack of a Caste is
detrimental in various ways. They do not
have the benefit of the support system of a
Caste. Such a support system can be greatly
beneficial in handling the difficulties of
Gorean life.
We must also consider the barbarian cultures
outside of civilized Gor, as they do not
possess a Caste system either. But these
peoples are traditionally considered
barbarians and most civilized Goreans
consider them little more than savages. The
barbarian cultures of Gor include such
peoples as the Wagon Peoples,
Torvaldslanders, Red Savages, Red Hunters,
the tribes of the jungles near Schendi and
the tribesmen of the Tahari. It is the
people of the cities who can afford to be
specialists within a Caste system. For the
barbarian cultures, survival is a primary
concern and thus they must become
generalists to increase their chances of
survival. Even when some of these barbarians
possess a specialized skill, they still
possess the general skills as well. All of
these barbarians are not considered outlaws
though and are not subject to impalement if
they try to enter a city.
The acquisition of a Caste is primarily
governed by one's birth. Children
automatically assume the Caste of their
father. Even if their mother has a different
Caste than their father, they will initially
take on the Caste of their father. Once they
reach the age of majority, they may be able
to change their Caste. Birth automatically
grants a person access to numerous benefits
of the Caste but it does not guarantee that
person will be able to practice the work of
that Caste. To be able to practice within a
Caste generally requires an apprenticeship.
There are also a few Castes which one is not
born into and where you must actively apply
for membership within that Caste. These
would include the Initiate, Player and
Assassin Castes.
The opportunity for upward mobility within
the Caste system exists though such advances
are not common, more out of choice than
circumstance. It would be even rarer for a
Gorean to willingly lower their Caste.
Changing your Caste is generally not an easy
task. Free Companionship though is a
relatively simple method for free women to
change their Caste. Normally, such
relationships remain within the same Caste.
But, if a relationship is of mixed Caste,
the woman can keep her own Caste or take her
partner's Caste. This can serve to raise her
Caste, even from a Low Caste to a High
Caste. But, a man cannot reap the same
benefit from a Free Companionship, as he
cannot take on the Caste of his female
Companion. Generally, a woman would not
change her Caste to a lower one. Though her
Caste changes, a woman cannot now fully
practice her new Caste until she had been
properly trained and met any other
prerequisites. That would apply as well to
men who changed their Caste.
Another way for a man or a woman to change
their Caste is through merit, by evidencing
the aptitude for another Caste. Such a
person could apply to change their Caste,
either raising it or lowering it. To
willingly change their Caste, the High
Council of their city must commonly approve
the change, based on the petitioner's
qualifications for the new Caste and the
willingness of the new Caste to accept that
person. Proper bribes could make this
process easier, even if the candidate's
qualifications were lacking in some degree.
In this process, women are assessed by the
same criteria as men though this does vary
from city to city. Your Caste can also be
lowered involuntarily if you show a lack of
aptitude for your Caste. Children are often
assessed during their schooling to ascertain
their suitability for their Caste. These
children could be potentially promoted to a
higher Caste or demoted to a lower one.
To most
Goreans, it is unthinkable to alter their
Caste. Goreans are very proud of their
Caste, even Peasants and simple laborers. It
is recognized that all, or at least most,
Castes perform necessary, useful or laudable
tasks. Their skills are appreciated by
others and not generally looked down on.
Each Caste views itself as special in some
way and each Caste has its place and worth
in Gorean society. For example, the Metal
Workers state: "Where would the dwellers of
cities be without us?" (Dancer of Gor,
p.293) This is their way of saying that
their skills are essential for civilization.
Even the lowest Caste, the Peasants,
consider themselves the "Ox on Which the
Home Stone Rests." They are the ones that
provide most of the food for all the other
Castes, an essential endeavor. Few would
dispute the importance of such Castes as the
Metal Worker and Peasant Castes.
Despite this respect for the place of each
Caste within Gorean society, Caste
discrimination is still common. "Language
and city, and caste, however, are matters of
great moment to them, and provide sufficient
basis for the discriminations in which human
beings take such great delight." (Beasts of
Gor, p.156) Castes generally look down on
Castes lower than themselves in the
hierarchy of Castes. In addition, many
Castes segregate themselves and do not often
mix with other Castes. Entertainment and
Free Companionships generally follow Caste
lines. There are paga taverns that cater to
the different Castes and a Peasant would not
dare enter a High Caste tavern. Many Castes
will not use the Long Bow because it is seen
as a Peasant weapon and beneath higher
Castes. The Low Castes are generally not
permitted to vote or be on the High Councils
of the cities. The Double Knowledge is also
a method of discrimination meant to keep the
Lower Castes in their place. The Castes are
ranked from Highest to Lowest, which alone
signifies that some are superior to others.
Castes are divided into High Castes and Low
Castes. There are commonly only five High
Castes and include the Initiates, Scribes,
Builders, Physicians and Warriors, which is
also their ranking in order of importance.
Each High Caste, like all Castes, has its
own Caste color, respectively white, blue,
yellow, green, and red. There are subcastes
of some of these castes. For example,
Cartographers and Lawyers are two subcastes
of the Caste of Scribes. Only members of the
High Castes are permitted to vote in
elections for the Administrator and Council
of a city. In some places, the Merchants
consider themselves to be a High Caste and
this belief is sometimes supported by
certain cities.
The
Low Castes include all of the other
established Castes. These include such
Castes as Assassins, Bakers, Bleachers,
Carriers of Wood (also known as Woodsmen),
Charcoal Makers, Cloth Worker, Cosmeticians,
Dyers, Goat-Keepers, Growers of Rence (also
known as Rencers), Leather Workers,
Merchants, Metal Workers, Musicians,
Peasants, Poets, Potters, Saddle Makers,
Singers, Smiths, Tarn Keepers, Tharlarion
Keepers, Vintners, and Weavers. There are
many more Castes and some subcastes. The Low
Castes are ranked in order of importance
though the exact hierarchy is not clearly
defined in the books. The Peasant Caste
though is stated to be the lowest Caste in
the system. |
The lines
between Caste and subcaste are sometimes
vague and the subcaste may even consider
itself to be a separate Caste though legally
it is not. For example, the Slaver Caste is
legally a subcaste of the Merchant Caste
though they often consider themselves a
separate Caste. Each Caste has its own Caste
colors and some subcastes also have their
own Caste colors. These colors are often
publicly worn, as people are proud of their
Caste. Free women do not always wear their
caste colors though, sometimes reserving
their use for formal or ceremonial
functions. Men, as well, may choose not to
wear their Caste colors unless they are
actively engaged in Caste work.
There are a number of key differences
between the High and Low Castes. First, each
learns a different type of knowledge
concerning their world and this system is
referred to as the Double Knowledge. The Low
Castes learn the First Knowledge, a simpler
knowledge with a number of falsehoods and
half-truths. They learn that the world is
flat and are not taught of the existence of
Earth. The High Castes possess the Second
Knowledge. They know about Earth and most of
the true information about Gor though they
know little of the true nature of the
Priest-Kings. It is thought that most of
them are educated enough to have uncovered
these truths on their own anyway. Some
people believe that there may be a Third
Knowledge, that belonging to the Priest
Kings, a knowledge of the many secrets of
Gor. This has some validity as there are
secrets concerning Gor that are not covered
by the Second Knowledge and which are known
by the Priest-Kings.
The Low Castes are also very superstitious.
For example, they are reluctant to reveal
their true names. They thus have both a 'use
name' and a real name. The use name is the
name they present to the public, the name
most commonly used to refer to them. Often
only close relatives know their real name.
High Castes usually use their names freely
though the Low Castes believe they have use
names as well. Knowing a real name
supposedly gives one power, a capacity to
use the name in spells and other magical
rituals. Many of the Low Castes believe in
the powers of wizards and sorcerers so they
do worry about such matters. Even the
Initiates are said to possess vast magical
powers. The High Castes encourage the
superstitions of the Low Castes and it also
forms a part of the First Knowledge.
There is an accent that differentiates the
speech of the High and Low Castes; though
some of the higher artisan Castes speak
almost like the High Castes. Illiteracy is
common on Gor and is not taken as a mark of
stupidity. Literacy usually follows by Caste
lines and many Goreans of the Low Castes
cannot read. Even some of the High Castes,
primarily Warriors, may be illiterate. Some
Warriors feel that they should not be
literate so they hide the fact that they can
read and write. Society has adapted due to
the high illiteracy rate so many stores have
picture signs to indicate their services.
For example, a tavern may have the picture
of a goblet on a sign outside. Goreans also
often possess extensive mnemonic abilities
that allow them to remember prodigious
amounts of information.
Not every occupation on Gor is an actual
Caste or subcaste. Some are simply a titled
position that may have little to do with any
actual Caste. For example, a person of any
Caste (though most likely only a High Caste)
may be an Ambassador. An Ambassador is not a
Caste or subcaste; it is simply a titled
office. Other titles may be more closely
connected to a Caste though they do not form
an actual subcaste. For example, a city
guardsman may be a Warrior but his position
does not constitute an actual subcaste.
Generally, except for the Assassin Caste,
you must be sworn to a Home Stone to belong
to a Caste. You cannot belong to a Caste in
a city unless you also belong to the Home
Stone of that city. Each city-state has
their own Caste system and each specific
Caste has its own hierarchy particular to
that city. For example, the Warrior Caste of
Ar and the Warrior Caste of Treve are
separate Castes. Ar and Treve will each have
their own First Swords. Almost the only time
that people from the same Caste, but of
different cities, might ever meet to discuss
Caste issues is at any of the four annual
Sardar Fairs. The Sardar Fairs are a very
important time for Castes to share
information especially such Castes as the
Scribes, Physicians and Builders. They can
share new discoveries, inventions and
techniques. They can work towards more
standardization in their practices. The
Castes often take advantage of this
opportunity though they may not always agree
on some matters.
A person may only belong to a one Caste at
any time. Possessing dual Castes is not
permitted on Gor. Caste loyalty is far too
important on Gor for someone to have dual
loyalties by belonging to multiple Castes.
If someone changes their Caste they
obviously do not lose any knowledge or
skills they acquired from the first Caste.
But there might be some restrictions on
their use of those previously acquired
skills. For example, a Physician who became
a Warrior might not be permitted any longer
to operate in hospitals owned by the
Physician's Caste. But, that Physician would
still retain his medical knowledge and
skills. By law, the practice of certain
Caste skills is also restricted to actual
Caste members. This most often arises in the
area of Physicians. Pretending to be of a
Caste one is not carries a serious legal
penalty. Other Caste skills though may be
practiced by anyone without repercussion.
For example, anyone may sell a slave and not
just a member of the Slavers' Caste.
Each caste possesses its own Caste Codes to
govern the conduct of its members. "The
ethical teachings of Gor, which are
independent of the claims and propositions
of the Initiates, amount to little more than
the Caste Codes---collections of sayings
whose origins are lost in antiquity."
(Tarnsman of Gor, p.40-41) These Codes are
vitally important to the Caste members and
are generally followed by all members of the
Caste. "It is the codes which separate men
from sleen and larls," said Thurnus. "They
are the difference. They are the wall."
(Slave Girl of Gor p.227) The Codes may be
radically different from Caste to Caste, as
each Caste has different needs. The Caste
Codes of the same Caste, but from different
cities, will be largely similar but there
might be some slight differences as well.
The importance of these Codes cannot be
stressed enough. They are a guide to the
life of a Caste member, offering him an
outline for what is permissible and what is
prohibited. They are a form of professional
ethics, indicating the proper conduct for
that Caste. Failure to follow the Codes can
lead to serious sanctions, including
expulsion from the Caste. Unfortunately the
books provide little details on the Caste
Codes for each different Caste. Only the
Warrior Caste receives any significant
details on its Caste Codes.
Belonging to a Caste provides a person with
certain benefits and privileges. For
example, charity is administered through the
caste structure. Goreans do not favor
begging and some even view it as an insult.
When charity is needed, one's Caste or clan
is supposed to provide financial support.
Caste Sanctuary, the protection of Caste
members in times of need, is another
privilege. A Caste protects its own members
and they form a cohesive unity. These and
other Caste rights are a matter of birth and
you are entitled to them automatically, even
if you never engage in the practice of your
Caste. A person may possess documentation
that certifies their Caste status and such
paperwork can be beneficial, especially if a
person is seeking Caste benefits.
One commonly cannot practice the profession
of one's Caste until an apprenticeship has
been completed. In the mean time, you might
be able to do some subsidiary work in that
profession without such a completion. For
example, a Metalworker, who has not
completed his apprenticeship, might be able
to paint iron or transport it though he
could not actually work the iron. An
apprenticeship helps to guarantee the
quality of the Caste's products and
services. Thus a Caste will consist of full
working members of the Caste, members in
training, and non-practicing members. Women
of a Caste often do not engage in Caste
work, especially work that requires
significant physical strength. For example,
women of the Metal Workers would not
commonly work at a forge and women of the
Builder's Caste would not supervise the
construction of fortifications.
But, women do commonly work in some Castes
such as Scribes and Merchants. There are
even some female Slavers, including a few
who engage in field captures. Another
notable exception is that of the Physician's
Caste. The Physician's Caste though often
restricts women in one way. In many cities,
the Caste will not permit a woman to fully
practice medicine until she has first given
birth to two children. At age fifteen, a
woman of the Physician's Caste will don two
bracelets. One will be removed for each
child that is born. When both are removed,
she is allowed to fully practice medicine.
The reason behind this is that professional
women tend not to reproduce. This would
serve over time to diminish the quality and
numbers of the Caste. Thus, the rule helps
to preserve the future of the Caste.
The future of the Caste is vitally important
to Goreans. The welfare of the Caste even
takes priority over the ambitions and
desires of specific individuals. The welfare
of a larger number of individuals is more
important than the welfare of a smaller
number of individuals. Caste members often
will subsume their own individual wants for
the greater good of the Caste. Goreans truly
care about the future of their Caste and
they do not want to do anything that might
jeopardize it. Caste is crucially important
to Goreans in ways that those of Earth
cannot easily comprehend. The importance of
the Caste to Goreans cannot be
underestimated.
The logic behind the restriction on women in
the Physician's Caste applies as well to the
Warrior Caste. Women would not be permitted
to risk their lives in combat. If they were
permitted, a significant number of women
would die in battle. This would lead to
fewer births overall. In addition, dead
women could not raise their existing
children. Goreans would not want their
children to grow up without mothers. This
would all diminish the quality of the Caste
over time. With the welfare of the Caste at
stake, Warriors would not permit women to
engage in combat. In addition, women would
not want to endanger the welfare of the
Caste so they would willingly accept their
role in the Caste. This is in addition to
other reasons why women would not engage in
combat, such as their lesser physical
strength.
Castes do not have complete monopolies over
some of their skills. For example, any
person can buy and sell slaves, not just a
member of the Slaver's Caste. Anyone can
learn how to wield a sword, not just a
member of the Warrior's Caste. Obviously
such individuals will not know or follow the
Caste Codes of those Castes. In addition,
there would be some restrictions on their
use of those skills. A Caste would not
generally permit a non-Caste member to try
to usurp their Caste to a major extent.
There are even laws to punish individuals
who practice a Caste's expertise without
being a member. This is most often enforced
in the case where a person acts as a
Physician without being a Caste member.
There must be a specific intent to claim a
false caste. Goreans also realize that
commonly someone cannot practice the work of
their Caste until they have satisfactorily
completed an apprenticeship. This serves in
part as a guarantee to the quality of the
product. This guarantee would not apply to a
person practicing the skills who does not
belong to the Caste. It would be a matter of
caveat emptor.
The Caste system is intended to provide some
structure and stability to Gorean society.
"Most Goreans take Caste very seriously. It
is apparently one of the socially
stabilizing forces on Gor. It tends to
reduce the dislocations, disappointments and
tragedies inherent in more mobile
structures, in which men are taught that
they are failures if they do not manage to
make large amounts of money or excel in one
of a small number of prestigious
professions. The system also helps to keep
men of energy and high intelligence in a
wide variety of occupations, this preventing
the drain of such men into a small number of
often artificially desiderated occupations,
this tending then to leave lesser men, or
frustrated men, to practice other hundreds
of arts the survival and maintenance of
which are important to a superior
civilization." (Dancer of Gor, p.186-187)
And the Caste system has been effective in
these objectives.
By making each Caste important and
instilling an attitude that the good of the
Caste outweighs individual ambitions, people
tend to remain within their Caste. Members
of Gorean society do not engage in battles
over trying to ascend a social ladder.
People are and should be proud of their
Caste. They should do their best to enhance
the welfare and future of their Caste. It is
far more than a mere job; it is an essential
aspect of their life. It forms a vital
community for its members. It helps define
their role in society, and gives them vital
objectives.
"There are brave men in all castes," said
Shaba." (Explorers of Gor, p.433)
Slavery
On Gor, slavery is an ancient institution,
one that has evolved over many years into
its present state. The historical Slave Wars
and Kaiila Wars helped to develop much of
the Merchant law dealing with slavery.
Slavery is a complex institution, with a
myriad of different aspects: legal, social,
cultural, economic and aesthetic. Gorean
slavery reflects the type of slavery that
existed during the times of ancient Greece
and Rome, though it is closer in many
respects to the system of ancient Rome. But,
there are also significant differences as
well between Gorean slavery and that of
these ancient Earth cultures. In some ways,
Gorean slavery also reflects certain aspects
of medieval Islamic slavery, especially in
the gender ratio of slaves.
Gorean mythology provides an interesting
origin tale for the establishment of
slavery. It is said that a very long time
ago, there was a great war between the men
and women of Gor. The men ultimately
prevailed in this epic battle, conquering
the women. But, the Priest-Kings were
worried about the ultimate fate of these
women, fearful that the men would simply
kill all of them. To prevent this terrible
fate, the Priest-Kings used their vast
powers to physically transform all of the
women, making them very beautiful so that
they would be desirable to the men. And this
was effective, as the men then chose not to
exterminate the alluring and tempting women.
But this reprieve of their death sentence
did not come without a price. As their own
punishment, the Priest-Kings also decreed
that women would forever be slaves to men.
On Gor, female slavery is seen as having a
solid basis in the biological differences of
men and women. Male dominance is pervasive
among mammals and nearly universal among
primates. Goreans accept female slavery as a
natural part of life and few question its
basic validity. "Female slavery is the
institutionalized expression, in a
civilization congenial to nature, of the
fundamental biological relationship between
the sexes. In the institution of female
slavery we find this basic relationship
recognized, accepted, clarified, fixed and
celebrated." (Savages of Gor, p.193-4) There
are no organized abolition movements or
strong resistance against this institution.
Slavery will likely remain a part of Gorean
society for a very long time.
But, the numbers and percentages of slaves
on Gor are actually relatively low. Most
women on Gor are free. Only about 2 to 3% of
all the women on Gor are slaves and only .2
to.3% of all the men on Gor are slaves.
These ratios do vary though from city to
city. For example, in Ar about 15-20% of the
women are slaves. In Tharna, after the
revolution against the Tatrix, almost all of
the women in that city were enslaved. Gorean
percentages are much less than the
percentages during ancient Greek and Roman
times when up to one-third of the entire
population were slaves. In addition, in
Greek and Roman slavery, male slaves far
outnumbered female slaves. The percentage of
female slaves to male slaves is more in
accord with Islamic slavery where female
slaves were more prevalent than male slaves.
Men captured during wars, raids or other
military actions are most often slain rather
than enslaved. Most men that do end up as
slaves are either debtors or criminals. Male
slaves are primarily enslaved for economic
reasons, such as for cheap labor. Goreans do
not consider the enslavement of men to
possess a biological foundation as does
exist for women. But, Gorean society does
recognize the validity and legality of male
slavery. It is a more practical and economic
decision and not one based on a deeper
philosophy. Under these justifications,
anyone can be enslaved on Gor. No one is
immune to the threat of a steel collar.
Most slaves are not born into slavery but
are forcefully or legally collared at some
later point in their lives. Slave breeding
does occur but it is a carefully controlled
practice. Slaves are bred with other slaves
and free men seldom have children with their
slaves. Legally, such children would
normally be born as a slave. During slave
breeding, the slaves are blindfolded and
forbidden to speak so that the two slaves do
not know each other and cannot form any type
of attachment. The slave owner and possibly
others will also observe the breeding as
well. Only a small fraction of slave
breeding is carefully done by Slaver Houses
with a specific intent in mind. Some
specially bred girls can possess pedigreed
lineages that extend back for up to thirty
generations. Few male slaves possess such
pedigrees. Breeding for Exotics is also
another specialty.
Earth has always been a source of Gorean
slaves. Both agents of the Priest-Kings and
the Kurii make journeys to Earth to kidnap
women and bring them to Gor to become
slaves. Such girls are often watched for a
year or two, to assess them, before they are
ever kidnapped. In recent years, Kurii
agents have started bringing larger numbers
of Earth women to Gor, making them more
common on Gor. Earth women are considered
natural slaves, as they have no Home Stone.
In addition, as they have no Home Stones,
their capture does not violate any Gorean
laws. Earth girls are considered to be
barbarians because they know nothing of Gor
and must be trained even to speak Gorean.
But, they have a reputation of being
excellent slaves once they are trained. As
more Earth women end up in the Gorean slave
market, and their rarity thus decreasing,
their prices have begun to be more
standardized.
Few Earthmen are ever brought to Gor to be
slaves. In fact, few Earthmen are currently
brought to Gor at all. Jason Marshall may
have been the first Earthman brought to Gor
to specifically be a slave. It is surprising
that more Earthmen are not brought to Gor to
be slaves. Certain Earthmen would make
excellent silk slaves. Others would be
acceptable as work slaves. This may be due
in part to the general disdain Goreans have
for Earthmen, often viewing them as less
than men. It still seems a potentially
lucrative avenue though for an enterprising
Slaver, especially a Kurii agent.
The institution of slavery does pervade many
aspects of the economic fabric of Gorean
society. Numerous Castes derive work and
income from this institution. From
Metalworkers who create slave steel to
Perfumers who make slave perfume, many
castes benefit from slavery. Slaves also
perform such of the lowliest tasks on Gor,
tasks that most free would not deign to
perform such as carrying waste to the
carnariums. But, slaves are not essential to
production in Gorean society. Though some
Peasants use slaves, most of the
agricultural work on Gor is performed by the
free. And many of the Castes that benefit
from the institution of slavery could direct
their efforts into different areas if
slavery were suddenly outlawed.
Far too many seem to assume Gorean slavery
is mostly about sex. It most certainly is
not. Slaves perform numerous duties and
functions on Gor, and the institution of
slavery touches on many aspects of society.
One should understand the totality of the
institution, noting all of its numerous and
varied aspects. Do not think of just the
Pleasure Slaves but also remember the pot
girls and galley slaves. Do not think of
just the paga taverns but think of the
public laundries and private mills where
slaves work. Think of the Castes who benefit
from this institution, all the individuals
who benefit, despite them not owning any
slaves.
The legal existence of slavery on Gor is
certainly a significant difference from
modern Earth. And it is extremely unlikely
that this institution will be abolished on
Gor anytime in the near future. In that
respect then, understanding the place of
slavery within Gorean society is vital to
understanding Gor. But also note the
relative small number of slaves on Gor, how
far more women are free than slave. And note
how few slaves contribute to actual
production. In most respects, slaves are a
luxury on Gor. Which means that their
absence would not drastically change Gorean
society. Yes, slavery is important on Gor
but it is certainly not an essential element
to their society. |
