ECONOMIC HEGEMONY AND SOCIAL DISINTEGRATION UNDER CAPITALIST CULTURE: A MARXIST ANALYSIS OF ADIGA’S THE WHITE Tiger

Abstract

This paper examines the theme of economic hegemony and its role in fostering social disintegration under capitalist culture in Adiga’s The White Tiger, through a Marxist lens. The novel presents a stark portrayal of India’s class divide, with the protagonist, Balram Halwai, embodying the oppressed lower class, struggling to ascend within a capitalist system that perpetuates exploitation and inequality. By analyzing the interplay between class, power, and economic structures, the paper argues that Adiga (2008) critiques the capitalist framework, highlighting how economic hegemony entrenches social disintegration and perpetuates cycles of poverty and corruption. Through Balram’s rise from servitude to entrepreneurial success, the paper highlights the destructive consequences of a capitalist society that thrives on the subjugation of the working class, disintegrates the moral fabric of society, and fosters individualism and alienation.