Industrialisation, growth have brought about economic inequality, says expert

Bengaluru: Two experts on Sunday exchanged views on balancing economic freedom with economic justice as outlined in the Indian Constitution, during a talk titled "Unpacking Economic Freedom in the Constitution".

The discussion featured Karthik Muralidharan, a professor of economics at the University of California, and Harish Narasappa, a lawyer and co-founder of thinktank DAKSH.

Muralidharan spoke on the nature of India’s economic justice structure, stating, “Industrialisation and economic growth have brought about economic inequality. Ambedkar recognised the need for modernisation to reach the most marginalised regions, even those resistant to it.

“The Constitution’s concept of economic justice reflects India’s historical context, which necessitated intervention to deliver economic equity."

Muralidharan said it is harder to separate India’s legal and economic journeys. “While economic freedom includes protection from state expropriation, progressive taxation is crucial to fund essential welfare programmes. There must also be equity and efficiency in executing these welfare schemes,” he said.

Narasappa addressed the legal challenges in ensuring economic rights, noting, “There’s little analysis of how legislation affects real-world conditions — it's often hit or miss.”

Narasappa added that reverse engineering legislation leads to chaos when it misses the mark. “For instance, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Act, intended to protect citizens, is poorly enforced. Courts have played a role in crystallising economic rights, such as the right to livelihood for street vendors, though at times, these rights clash with others."