Theft without Thieves: Structural Exploitation and Moral Ambiguity in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Theft
Khanam T. J.
1*
1
Khanam T. J.
* Corresponding Author:
Khanam T. J.
Abstract
functions without a clearly defined exploiter. The novel considers stealing as a structural
state rather than an isolated offense. It takes place in postcolonial East Africa and
demonstrates the normalization of dispossession through economic inequality, social
dependence, and institutional power at the expense of moral responsibility. Theft exposes
the constrained agency of the ethical choice through characters like Badar and Karim to
show how the class structure and precarity restrict agency. Using a Marxist and neo
Marxist critical lens, the present paper interprets the phrase ‘theft without thieves’ as a
metaphor of structural exploitation where work, dignity, and opportunity are stolen
through normalized social relations instead of criminal acts. The lack of visible violence
in society, moral ambiguity, and focus on the daily transactions make the exploitation
normal and unnoticeable. Informal economies, domestic labor, and patron-client
relations are the major areas where inequality is extended. This study suggests a new
intervention into the readings of Theft by shifting the themes of exile and migration onto
the localized economic injustice and class dynamics. The paper concludes that the novel
provides a subtle but effective critique of postcolonial capitalism, that exploitation
remains best hidden when responsibility is decentralized, and no particular thief can be
identified.
Keywords
Structural Exploitation, Postcolonial Capitalism, Class Inequality, Marxist Criticism, Moral Ambiguity
Introduction
JPUST
Journal of Pundra University of Science and Technology