Exploitation, Culture, and Resistance: A Neo-Marxist Analysis of Globalization in Rural India

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of globalization on rural India through a Neo-Marxist lens, focusing on the themes of exploitation, cultural transformation, and resistance. By examining the intersection of global capitalist forces with local rural realities, it argues that globalization exacerbates economic inequality and social injustice in rural areas, leading to the exploitation of labor, land, and resources. The paper delves into how rural communities, particularly small farmers, agricultural laborers, and marginalized groups, face increasing hardships under global market pressures, such as corporate monopolies and neoliberal economic reforms. Moreover, it highlights the cultural shifts induced by the spread of consumerism, technology, and Western ideals, which threaten traditional rural identities and values. In response to these challenges, rural communities have engaged in various forms of resistance, from protests and strikes to grassroots movements, pushing back against hegemonic forces and asserting their autonomy. Drawing on the works of key Neo-Marxist theorists, this study examines the role of class struggle and hegemony in shaping rural India’s response to globalization. Ultimately, the paper argues for a reimagined future for rural India, one where collective action, solidarity, and state intervention can offer a path toward justice, equity, and sustainable development in the face of global capitalist exploitation.