Page "Caste" Paragraph 123

The history of France, along with Spain, has other sides of caste systems.

Along with Romani people ( also called Gypsie ), France has long shunned Cagots ( also called Agotes, Gahets, Gafets, Capets, Caqueux ).

For centuries, through the modern times, the majority regarded Cagots of western France and northern Spain as an inferior caste, the untouchables.

While they had the same skin color and religion as the majority, in the Churches, they had to use segregated doors, drink from segregated fonts, receive communion on the end of long wooden spoons.

It was a closed social system.

The socially isolated Cagots were endogamous, and chances of social mobility non-existent.