Introduction
Modi’s India has witnessed significant economic, social and political shifts. We have entered surplus. India has become intensely excessive place. We see this surplus through the work of Jacques Lacan, Karl Marx and Michele Foucault interplay of surplus enjoyment, surplus value and surplus power reveals complexities in power dynamics, economic structures and social hierarchies.
Surplus Enjoyment (Jouissance)
1. Hindu Nationalist Ideology:Surplus enjoyment fuels nationalist sentiments, fostering a sense of superiority. There is a sense of performative enjoyment of being Hindu.
2. Consumer Culture:. Excessive consumption drives economic growth, reinforcing neoliberal agendas. It feeds in a triumphalism which thinks : ‘ our time is come’
3. Social Hierarchies: Caste and class structures perpetuate unequal distribution of resources.
Surplus Value (Marxist Perspective)
1. Neoliberal Capitalism:Exploitation of labor generates surplus value, enriching corporate interests. Jobless growth and corporate monopolising is growing by the day. Only a few economic oligarchs are visible.
2. Globalization: India’s integration into global markets intensifies surplus value extraction.
3. Income Inequality: Widening wealth disparities underscore the need for redistributive policies.
Surplus Power (Political and Social Control)*
1. Authoritarian Governance: Concentration of power enables Modi’s government to maintain control.
2.Repression and Resistance:
Dissent faces repression, illustrating power dynamics. Constitutional bodies like the CBI or ED are weaponized.
3. Social Media Surveillance: Digital monitoring reinforces state power.
Intersectionality
1. Caste-Class Intersections: Surplus concepts exacerbate existing social inequalities.
2. Gender Dynamics:Patriarchal structures compound disparities.
3. Environmental Impacts: Unchecked growth harms ecological sustainability.
Conclusion
Surplus concepts illuminate complexities in Modi’s India. Addressing these excesses requires critical examination of power structures, economic systems and social