Marxism in the Age of Globalisation: A Study of Class Consciousness and Ideological Hegemony in Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger

Abstract

The White Tiger is a novel by Aravind Adiga. It represents the biting economic realities of India post-liberalisation, where globalisation only seems to be adding on to disparity between haves and have nots. The novel represents how money and power shapes people's relations, values and opportunities for social mobility. It revolves around two key concepts: class consciousness and ideological hegemony to explain how the rich and powerful not only retain power through wealth but by moulding how people think. The protagonist, Balram Halwai, articulates and aims to escape his servant’s existence. His progress from village driver to entrepreneur symbolizes resistance to, as well as adaptation toward, the capitalist system. The novel gives us an understanding that true freedom does not come from opulence but from the realisation about the very forces that keep people oppressed. The paper examines how Adiga employs humor, irony and symbols to reflect the unjust face of modern India where success and suffering go hand in hand. It also considers how the novel criticizes globalization as a new type of colonial ruling, which continues to maintain inequality.