DISINTEGRATION OF INDIGENOUS VALUES UNDER CAPITALIST CULTURE: A COMPARATIVE MARXIST STUDY OF THE MURDER OF AZIZ KHAN AND THE WHITE TIGER

Abstract

Disintegration of traditional values remains a pressing issue, particularly relevant in the contemporary era. This research aims to examine, through comparative mode, the disintegration of indigenous values under capitalistic culture as depicted in The Murder of Aziz Khan and The White Tiger. The theoretical framework guiding this research is grounded in Marxist literary theory. Developed by Karl Marx, this framework encompasses a set of political and economic ideas that Marxists believe can facilitate the interpretation and transformation of the prevailing exploitative capitalistic structures into a more equitable societal order. It fundamentally critiques Western capitalism as an inherently materialistic endeavor that has marginalized and distorted pre-imperial humanistic cultures while also challenging the homogenization of diverse cultural practices and ideologies under the hegemony of the bourgeoisie, which aims to establish a global consumer culture. The research posits that the bourgeois class in both literary works operates as neo-imperialists, perpetuating the exploitation of marginalized groups within society. The pre-capitalistic ethos of social harmony and collective well-being is supplanted by a culture that commodifies individuals, engenders class conflict, and fosters socio-economic oppression of the impoverished. The research concludes that capitalistic culture leads to a bifurcated society divided into two distinct classes—the capitalist/rich and the working/poor—marked by pervasive inequality, injustice, exploitation, and the degradation of the underprivileged by the affluent. Additionally, it reflects the dominance of ruling-class ideologies, the inclination toward Western cultural values, and the ongoing presence of neo-imperialistic forces.