Social order based on justice
Also called: Article 38 · Topic: Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 10 "The Constitution of India: An Introduction"
Meaning
Article 38 is the Directive Principle that sets the main aim of Part IV.
- Clause (1) asks the State to build a social order in which social, economic and political justice runs through every institution.
- Clause (2), added by the 44th Amendment, 1978, asks the State to reduce inequalities of income, status, facilities and opportunities.
Class 7 labels Art. 38 "Social, Political, and Economic Justice". It is a socialistic directive and expresses the idea of a welfare state, meaning a State that actively works for people's well-being.
Example
Bank nationalisation and zamindari abolition are policies that Class 11 lists as ways directives were put into effect. Both aimed to cut economic inequality, which is the goal of Art. 38(2).
Don't confuse with
- Art. 39(b)-(c): these deal specifically with sharing the community's material resources and preventing wealth from piling up in a few hands. Art. 38 is the broader goal of justice and less inequality.
Related concepts
- Socialistic principles
- Equitable distribution of material resources
- Adequate means of livelihood
- Equal pay for equal work
- Protection against economic exploitation
- Right to work, education and public assistance
- Living wage
- Workers' participation in management