International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Development of Political Consciousness among the Adivasi Tea Garden Workers in Jalpaiguri District, North Bengal: A Survey-Based Study

Political consciousness, defined as the understanding of one’s political rights and the ability to act within a democratic society, is unevenly distributed throughout India. The Adivasi tea garden workers of North Bengal vividly embodies this phenomenon. Decades of enclave-like plantation work, geographic isolation, and limited access to education have resulted in the political marginalization of this population. However, research that targets the political consciousness of Adivasi tea garden workers in the Jalpaiguri district is virtually non-existent. This study focuses on the Adivasi tea garden workers of the Jalpaiguri district. One hundred Adivasi tea garden workers were surveyed using multistage random sampling. This contributed to the study of the political consciousness of Adivasi tea garden workers, and the socio-economic determinants on which this consciousness is built. The study also surveyed voting patterns, and the influences of education, trade unions, and media on political consciousness. Respondents voting levels were high at 85%, and respondents had moderate political consciousness (M = 3.72/5). Political consciousness was positively correlated to the level of media and political party member contact, trade union membership, personal income, educational attainment, and the degree of political family discussions. Political consciousness was not correlated to personal income, education, media exposure, union membership, and contact with political parties.