G6 SOCIAL SCIENTIST
to tribunals for adjudicating labour demands, controls and ceilings for curtailing monopolies and concentration of wealth, monetaiy measures for containing inflation, and public undertakings for boosting the sagging economy. By and large, the supporters of private property and the parliamentarians have been compelled to accept controlled economy as a panacea for the ills of the capitalist system.
In underdeveloped countries, with agriculture as the principal pro* duction sector and growing population exerting a strain on political insti* tutions, even if they were to adopt controlled economy as a credo, the extent of the problem could easily be imagined. The story of parliamentarism in all underdeveloped countries is one of loss efface and widening ere-dibility gaps for all the political parties in government and opposition which guard the right of private ownership of the means of production as the very quintessence of freedom. At the same time, parliamentarism is compelled to lay its hands on property rights in order to meet at least some of the tall election promises. The situation is invariably one where the electorate at large believes, or is told to believe, that the promised socio-economic justice can be achieved without sacrificing the cherished ideals of parliamentarism, among which private property is the most formidable.
II Freedom and Property
Under Article 19 (1) (f) and 19 (1) (g) of the Indian Constitution, it is a fundamental right "to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business." Significantly, these rights are classed under "Right to Freedom'9 meaning thereby that property acquired or held by practising any profession, occupation, trade or business is as much an exercise of freedom as freedom of speech and expression, and other freedoms. Articles 31, 31A, 31B and 31C also deal with property righis and are grouped under the heading "Right to Property". But strictly speaking, the individual derives the right to acquire, hold and dispose of property, by practising any profession or occupation, under Articles 19 (1) (f) and 19 (1) (g) and not under Articles 31, 31A, 31B and 31C. Article 31 ensures freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse throughout the territory of India. Inasmuch as the Constitution has reinforced a socio-economic system where individual property is held sacrosanct, I propose here to deal only with Articles 31, 31A, 31B and31C.
Broadly stated, Articles 31A to G are meant presumably to overcome the severities of Article 31 and other provisions, especially those in Part III of the Constitution which deals with fundamental rights. The law as stated in Articles 31(1) and 31 (2) is somewhat analogous to that laid down in Article V of the amendments to the United States Constitution1 and its Fourteenth Amendment 2 with one difference: the 'Due Process^ clause is explicitly stated to mean the law as laid down in Article 31 (2)