The concept of social and economic justice is a living concept of revolutionary importance; it gives sustenance to the rule of law and meaning and significance to the idea of welfare state. Article 38(1) of the constitution of India provides that “State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may social order in which justice-social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life”
The preamble of the constitution of India also provides, “We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens: Justice, social, economic and Political…”
Article 28(2) of the constitution states, “the state shall, in particular, strive to minimize the inequalities in income, and endeavour to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations.”
Social Justice is linked with the securing economic justice. Social Justice is justice according to social interest. Social Justice is designed to undo the injustice of unequal birth and opportunity, to make it possible that wealth should be distributed as equally as possible and to provide that material things of life should be guaranteed to each man.
Social justice is dealing equitably and fairly not between individuals but between classes of society; the rich and the poor. Social justice is founded on the basic idea of socio-economic equality and it aims at assisting the removal of socio-economic disparities and inequalities of birth and status and endeavours to resolve the completing claims especially between employers and workers by finding a just, fair and equitable solution to their human relations problem so that peace, harmony and co-operation of the highest order prevails amongst them which may further the growth and progress of nations.
The State, under action program as per article 39 adopted the following enactments to provide social and economic justice:
- The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act (MRTP Act), 1969.
- The Industrial (Development Regulation) Act, 1951.
- Land Ceiling Acts by State Governments.
- The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
- The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.
- The Employment of Children (Amendment) Act, 1985.
- The Employees Provident Fund Scheme, 1952.
- The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
- The Employment Family Pension Scheme, 1971.
- The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995.
- The Old Age Pension Schemes.
Besides enacting these acts, the state launched many poverty eradication schemes to bring the people above poverty line under Community Development Programmes. There should be more equitable distribution of wealth to achieve social justice in any society. There are economists who firmly believe that any matter concerning economic policy or economics. Social justice, thus, is indispensable for the formulation of economic policies. The social justice can be considered as a function of each individual’s welfare.
