Andre Beteille's concepts of harmonic and disharmonic social structures provide a valuable framework for understanding social stratification and change in India. He used these terms to analyze the relationship between different hierarchies, primarily caste, class, and power.

A harmonic structure exists when these hierarchies are largely congruent or aligned. For instance, in traditional Indian society, high caste status often correlated with high economic class (land ownership) and high political power. This alignment contributed to social stability and reinforced the existing order, making it appear 'natural' and legitimate.

However, Beteille argued that modern Indian society increasingly exhibits disharmonic structures. This occurs when the different hierarchies diverge or become incongruent. For example, a lower caste group might gain economic power through education or entrepreneurship, or political power through democratic mobilization (e.g., reservation policies), without necessarily achieving a corresponding rise in ritual status. Conversely, an upper caste individual might be economically disadvantaged.

In the changing Indian society, these disharmonic structures are becoming more prevalent due to factors like urbanization, industrialization, modern education, and democratic politics. The disjunction between caste, class, and power creates social tension, conflict, and new forms of social mobility. It challenges the traditional, rigid social order and fuels demands for greater equality and justice. Beteille's framework helps us understand how traditional hierarchies persist but are also reconfigured and contested in the face of modernization, leading to a more complex and dynamic stratification system.