Economic Disparity Contributing to Socio-political Stigmatization in South Asian Novel

Abstract

The route to success in socio-political field is paved with enormous economic growth that fosters any attempt at social advancement or development. The desire for advancement adds complexity to the lives of ambitious individuals and makes it harder for them to overcome substantial economic difficulties. This paper examines the struggle of South Asian people towards socio-political development in Mohsin Hamid's How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia. In this paper, the socio-political success of the characters, its associated issues, and their impact on the protagonist's life are analyzed considering Karl Marx's notion of social conflicts theory. The idea suggests that individuals and groups’ relationships are based on conflict rather than on agreement. They want wealth and power to further entrench themselves and mistreat others who are weaker than them. The novel portrays protagonist's life is targeted by economic-based social issues that limits his plans to get success in socio-political arena. He exerts great effort, yet contemporary societal mores stand in the way of his success. The findings reveal that various characters try their best to carve out a place for themselves in the world and advance their social-p0litical standing, but they are not accepted by the emerging metropolitan culture, and they end up brokenhearted after a failed relationship.