Redistribution of resources

Polity & Governance glossary

Topic: Equality and Social Justice · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Social Justice"

Meaning

Redistribution of resources means the state takes resources, such as land, from those who have too much and gives them to the deprived. It can also mean the state provides basic services directly. The aim is a level playing field, where everyone starts with a fair chance. Article 39(b)-(c) of the Directive Principles asks the state to spread the ownership of material resources so that they serve the common good, and to stop wealth gathering in a few hands. Redistribution is one of the main tools of distributive justice, which means sharing goods and opportunities fairly.

Example

After 1947, India abolished zamindari and passed land ceiling laws. These laws cap how much land one person can own. West Bengal's Operation Barga (1978) recorded the rights of sharecroppers so that landlords could not evict them. Abolishing untouchability also opened temples, jobs and water sources to groups who had been shut out.

Don't confuse with

  • Charity: charity is a voluntary gift. Redistribution is the state's duty, and it rests on equal opportunity and shared humanity, not on pity.
  • Affirmative action: affirmative action gives special opportunities, such as quotas, to particular disadvantaged groups. Redistribution moves resources or services to reduce inequality across society as a whole.

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