Demystifying Political Ideologies in Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry

Abstract

The paper suggests that Rohinton Mistry in his novel Such a Long Journey writes with socialist- Marxists concern and exposes all ideological propaganda. The paper employs Marxist concept of economic determinism as the basis of social reality, involving political, cultural, racial, class and all implicit and explicit set of beliefs supporting and furthering the process of exploitation in a systematic way. The paper will exhaust Althusser’s concept of ideological and repressive state apparatuses and the discursive ideological practices which intensify the subjectivity of interpellated subject. The   Paper seeks the systematic unmasking of political ideologies which create delusion and a mistaken world-view. Political ideologies are constructed phenomena which serve the best interest of the hegemonic elite; politician develop a rhetoric to give the political propaganda a natural look. Ideologies represent a particular group or era and can remain alive only till that group is in power; ideologies are fragile but discursive in practice, these always face the danger of counter ideologies for these survive only so long as the class that generates them remains in power. This paper will look deep into the working of political ideologies –i-e , fascism, nationalism, absolutism and autocracy even.

Keywords: Ideology, False- consciousness, Socialist- Marxists, Mystification, ideological state- apparatuses, Repressive state-apparatuses, Discursive Practice, hegemonic elite, Absolutism, Fascism, autocracy.