Understanding the Banking System as a Tool used by the Oppressors to Oppress the Bonded Laborers into Brick Kilns through Labor Trafficking in India

Author: Sethi, Resham

Abstract: Behind India is gleaming economic growth and construction boom sits an exploitative industry of brick kilns. With an annual production of 250 billion bricks are 23 million brick kiln bonded laborers, working and living like slaves. Bonded into the exploitative debt cycle and piece-rate system, these slaves are oppressed by their creditors/owners of the brick kilns. This paper throws light on the brick kiln industry of India and its exploitative nature of trafficking to explains why the lower caste communities like the Dalits and tribes have been vulnerable to this bondage. The paper also examines the exploitative wage system through which the laborers are bonded and oppressed. The objective is to analyze how the banking system is used by the oppressors/ creditors/owners to oppress the vulnerable/bonded laborers/ debtors into bondage through trafficking and enticing them into working for the brick kilns.

Keywords: brick kiln industry, bonded labor, lower caste communities, wage system, the banking system