On 26th November, 1949, we took a pledge for all of us as Indians reflecting what we want to achieve as a nation & our means to do so.
“We the people of India, solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, Democratic Republic and give to all citizens – liberty, Equality, freedom, Freedom, assuring dignity of the individual.”
These values mentioned in the preamble – identity card of the constitution – reflect our tools of empowerment. Goals of development were laid down in plans each five years, by using means of empowerment. This goal of development includes economic development and tools of empowerment necessarily include social empowerment. This indicates that social empowerment is sine – quo – non for economic development.
In this essay, we will analyze the link between social empowerment and economic development from a temporal & spatial perspective. Also what empowerment in general & social empowerment in specific means. Also, components of social empowerment will be detailed looking at development in general, special emphasis will be on the economic dimension of development. Throughout the essay, an attempt is made to establish an organic link between social empowerment & economic development.
Development, unlike growth is qualitative change. It has multiple dimensions – social, economic, political, moral, psychological, spiritual development. It works at multiple levels – individual, society, community, state, Nations(GDP), International (SDG). Economic development is visible in terms of infrastructure development, Increase in purchasing power capacity of people, more economic freedom in exercising choices, etc.
Empowerment, unlike advancement, is a more encompassing term. It is about upholding the voice of voiceless, enabling the so-called disabled, power for powerless, making weaker strong. It also has many dimensions – social economic, political. It also works at many levels – individual group as family/society, state, Nation (Africa). etc. To be within the topic of the Essay, Social empowerment is about breaking barriers imposed by society & empowering weaker sections of society. It includes – women, children, old Age. disabled, LGDT community, rural farmers etc.
As the nation of empowerment & development has a different meaning to different stakeholders, it varies from society to society & and nation to nation. The concept of weak & powerful is also relative. The topic of the Essay is not limited to the Indian context, and thus will be deliberated from a global perspective.
Economic development of a nation is mostly reflected in three sectors of the economy Thus, firstly we will deal with Industrial sectors Right from Industrial Revolution 1.0, we thought we achieved faster economic development by establishing big industries & using technologies. But later we realized, we missed the social aspects of the Industrial revolution. problems of child labor born out of it. Labor rights neglected. Even slavery intensified in some places. Female forced to work for long hours. It reminds us how social empowerment of their neglected workers is key to long-lasting economic development. thus countries of today including India have labor concerns as past & parcel of Industrial policies.
Next important sector of the economy is Agriculture. We have almost stagnant agriculture GDP contribution. We have achieved food surplus, but self-reliance in food as a nation and reduced our import budget. But this did not result in self-reliance for farmers, and they still have to import credit from moneylenders. Thus we achieved economic development in the food economy without proportionate empowerment of farmers. Now especially when increasing feminization of Agriculture, social empowerment of women in terms of land reforms, inheritance rights for women – Is key to future economic development of Indian agriculture.
Economic development needs Ease of doing business. But it also needs Ease of living when urban areas are witnessing good economic development; it is not inclusive. This is because urban migrants living on footpaths, getting killed like in Pune wall collapse need attention. Empowering these socially excluded economic change agents will definitely add to ensuring Inclusive, sustainable & faster Economic development.
Effective mobilization of human resources is a precondition for better economic development of any nation. But due to social disempowered patriarchal system, women work participation rate in India is 23% as per ILO & It’s declining. Look at USA, 86% women work participation indicates how important social empowerment of women is for economic development.
Our society is also divided on caste-lines. And as per chatur four varnas, economic activities are performed traditionally. This social stratification of occupations does not stand relevant in today’s nation of modern economic development. The census Data & study by the National council of Applied Economic Economics Research highlights that benefits of economic development are not reaching lower-caste people. This necessitates social empowerment of them.
Also, social institutions like family, marriage play a role in economic choices of individuals. Hierarchical control of parents over children education, jobs. Also, there are selected & limited options for girl child for jobs daughters thought highly educated, not able to pursue a career after marriage due to high income of husband & maternity issues. All this indicates that children & girls need to be empowered by giving them more choices. This is key for more inclusive economic development.
We have chosen Reservation policy as a tool of social empowerment to get jobs at least in the government sector. And now governments – like Andhra Pradesh expanding reservation policy for empowering locals – also in the private sector. We have reserved seats for women t___ 50% in PRIs . The 29th schedule clearly has a policy of social justice & Economic development. This is a clear reflection of the link between two
As our prime minister said in the past in Mann Ki Baat, old Age acts as institutionalized memory contributing to economic development. But we need social empowerment of old Age so that they don’t get Alzheimer’s disease. The countries like Japan have a lot to offer us as a model of old Age empowerment helping the nation in multiple ways.
Coming out of a binary world, we have now at least legally embraced the concept of 2 GBT. Transgender. But beyond legal agents, they are vibrant economic agents if empowered successfully by providing skills. Example- In west Bengal, LGBT have been successfully running SHG groups.
We have shifted away from disabled to differently-abled. To capture this different ability of more than 3% population of India, we need to give them tools to achieve self-reliance & contribute to economic development. The Marrakesh Treaty that we signed & Accessible India program need to be implemented.
The wave of empowerment cannot be complete without mention of sex workers street vendors ragpickers rickshaw pullers & so many – who are silently contributing to economic development. Not to forget, according to recent dgty, 86.7% India’s economy is informal in nature. Social empowerment is key to bring out their best potential. This demands actions on multiple fronts.
If socially not empowered, as India is enjoying demographic dividend, this youth will be destructive. They will be easily radicalized & recruited by it is like terrorist organizations. Back home, Naxalites are already using development deficit as an agenda. At j & K scenario reflects same . All these in turn will hamper economic development.
To ensure social empowerment we need to implement public policies in full spillies MGNREGA RTE Act ICDS etc The functioning of Panchayati Ras Institutions is vital to ensure women empowerment & economic development . We have to deal with sarpanch pati Raj.