Social rights
Also called: Socio-economic rights · Topic: Citizenship: Idea and Indian Law · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Social Justice"; Class 11, Ch 6 "Citizenship"
Meaning
Social rights give a person access to things like education, employment and a decent standard of living. T.H. Marshall named them as one of the three parts of citizenship, along with civil and political rights. They are also called socio-economic rights, and examples include the right to education and a minimum wage. In India, they come from Art. 21A (education), the Directive Principles, and broad readings of Art. 21 by the courts.
Example
In Olga Tellis (1985), the Supreme Court held that the right to life under Art. 21 includes the right to livelihood. This protected pavement dwellers who earned their living in the city.
Don't confuse with
- Civil rights: these protect a person's freedom and property from interference, for example freedom of speech. Social rights go further and give people access to basic goods such as schooling and work.