Locating ‘Caste’ within Labour Theory

This conceptual paper attempts to critique the Marxist perspective on class-based labour theory, which primarily accounted for the post-colonial economic landscape. In this paper, I argue that the traditional Marxist theory fails to account for social constructs such as ‘caste’, which plays a significant role in shaping the labour market in India and most of Southeast Asia.

I contextualise the work arrangements within the platform economy, which is rapidly growing in India. Several studies and news reports have already established the plight of platform workers. Given the increasing challenges, it becomes necessary to critique the social positioning of caste and labour within the platform economy model. Incorporating the social realities of caste-based division of labour and exploitation in the platform economy will offer a more nuanced and context-specific understanding of labour.