Transforming Aspirations into Rights: The Case for Living Wages as a Constitutional Liberty

This legal article explores the foundation of India’s lawscape, forming the basis for the world’s most populated country. It is an all-encompassing exploration towards Article 43 of the Indian Constitution which advises states to undertake initiatives to provide good living wage conditions in every sphere of employability. It includes a brief analysis of what falls under the ambit of Article 43 and retrospects the DPSP head under which it is placed. This article tries to question the ongoing trend which supports the provision of minimum wages, rather advocate for the adaptation of the variable of living wages which would also help achieve a decent lifestyle in the long run and results in alignment with India’s international commitments i.e. Sustainable Development Goals. It also takes the help of a hypothetical ideal state model to act as a reference point for highlighting the advantages of adapting living wages. Thus, aiming a shift from short-term temporary arrangements to long-term sustained arrangements. The aim of the article is to propose a concept that will help India create a wage environment that would be sustainable enough to support not only sustenance but also to live a life independent of economic burdens. It uses doctrinal and observation-driven analysis to draw in favourable results in the form of data, collected and represented to create acceptability for living wages. The article also suggests a realistic solution through the Anker Methodology and its aid in India's shift towards creating and fostering an environment promoting living wages. To sum up, this research offers an alternative perspective, aiming to persuade readers that the concept of living wages represents a promising and independent future, diverging from conventional norms and fostering a brighter economic landscape.