Justice, Liberty and Equality

Justice, Liberty and Equality

The struggle for freedom was not only against the British rule but their struggle should also
usher in an era of restoring the dignity of men and women, removal of poverty and end to
all types of exploitation. Such strong motivations and cherished ideals had prompted the
framers to lay emphasis on the provisions of Justice, Liberty and Equality to all the citizens
of India.

Justice

Justice promises to give people what they are entitled to in terms of basic rights to food,
clothing, housing, participation in the decision-making and living with dignity as human
beings. The Preamble covers all these dimensions of justice – social, economic and political.
Besides, the granting of political justice in the form of universal adult franchise or the
representative form of democracy. You will read socio-economic justice in next lessons.

Liberty

The Preamble also mentions about liberty of thought and expression. These freedoms
have been guaranteed in the Constitution through the Fundamental Rights. Though freedom
from want has not been guaranteed in the Fundamental Rights, certain directives to the
State have been mentioned in the Directive Principles.

Equality

Equality is considered to be the essence of modern democratic ideology. The Constitution
makers placed the ideals of equality in a place of pride in the Preamble. All kinds of
inequality based on the concept of rulers and the ruled or on the basis of caste and gender,
were to be eliminated. All citizens of India should be treated equally and extended equal
protection of law without any discrimination based on caste, creed, birth, religion, sex etc.
Similarly equality of opportunities implies that regardless of the socio-economic situations
into which one is born, he/she will have the same chance as everybody else to develop his/
her talents and choose means of livelihood.