Chapter Info (Click Here)
Book No. – 006 (Indian Polity)
Book Name – Introduction to the Indian Constitution (D.D. Basu)
What’s Inside the Chapter? (After Subscription)
1. Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV: Articles 36-51)
2. Philosophical Basis of DPSPs
3. Bias Towards Collectivism under Indira Gandhi
4. Amendments Strengthening DPSPs
5. Nature of DPSPs vs Fundamental Rights
6. Article 31C and the Exception to Fundamental Rights
7. Harmonious Construction of Rights and Directives
8. Importance of Article 45 in Part IV
9. Judicial Intervention and Right to Education
10. Constitutional Recognition: 86th Amendment Act. 2002
11. Programmes and Legislative Measures
12. Integrative Approach: Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
13. Expansion of Article 21 through Judicial Activism
14. Positive Obligations under Article 21
15. Political and Constitutional Sanction
16. Criticisms and Legal Deficiencies of Directive Principles
17. Justification for Incorporation
18. Implementation and Achievements
19. Non-Part IV Directives
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Directive Principles of State Policy
Chapter – 9
Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV: Articles 36–51)
Part IV of the Constitution contains the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs), which outline the ideals and directions for governance.
These principles may be classified into three groups:
Certain ideals, particularly economic, which the State should strive for.
Directions to the Legislature and the Executive, guiding them in the exercise of their powers.
Certain rights of citizens, which are non-justiciable (not enforceable by courts), but which the State shall nevertheless aim to secure through legislative and administrative policies.
The duty of the State is to follow these principles in both administration and law-making. They embody the object of the republican Constitution—establishing a Welfare State rather than a mere Police State. Most DPSPs seek to establish economic and social democracy, in line with the Preamble.
Philosophical Basis of DPSPs
According to Sir Ivor Jennings, the philosophy underlying most DPSPs is “Fabian socialism without the socialism”, as only nationalisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange is missing.
The Constitution, as framed in 1949, did not adhere to any particular ideology but sought a compromise between individualism and socialism, curbing the excesses of private enterprise through social control and welfare measures.
This explains why Pandit Nehru declared that the objective of Indian planning was a “Socialistic pattern of society” rather than socialism itself.
Nehru’s View on Socialism:
Socialism does not simply mean distribution of wealth or nationalisation.
Distribution must not weaken productive machinery, as the basis of socialism is greater wealth, not poverty.
Nationalisation must be selective and efficient.
True socialism ensures equal opportunity for progress for every individual.