Previous Year Question
Under the Indian Constitution, concentration of wealth violates:
the Right to Equality
the Directive Principles of State Policy
the Right to Freedom
the concept of Welfare
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
A concentration of wealth and means of production that is detrimental to the common interest violates the Directive Principle contained in Article 39(c).
Article 39(c) directs the State to ensure that:
The operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment.
This provision appears in Part IV of the Constitution. Its objective is to create an economic order in which resources are not excessively concentrated in the hands of a few persons or groups and economic power is used for the wider social good.
The related provisions of Article 39 include:
Article 39(a): Equal right of men and women to adequate means of livelihood.
Article 39(b): Distribution of ownership and control of the community’s material resources to best serve the common good.
Article 39(c): Prevention of concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment.
Article 39(d): Equal pay for equal work for men and women.
Article 39(e): Prevention of abuse of the health and strength of workers and the tender age of children.
Article 39(f): Opportunities for children to develop in a healthy manner and protection against exploitation.
Article 38 also directs the State to establish a social order promoting public welfare and to minimise inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities.
Under Article 37, Directive Principles are not directly enforceable by courts. Nevertheless, they are fundamental in the governance of the country, and the State has a duty to apply them while making laws. Article 39(c) therefore provides constitutional direction for taxation, competition policy, land reforms, economic regulation and distribution of resources.
The other options are incorrect:
The Right to Equality is contained in Articles 14–18.
The Right to Freedom is principally contained in Articles 19–22.
The “concept of Welfare” is not a separate enforceable constitutional category for the purpose of this question.