Class 8 Civics Chapter 10 Notes - Law and Social Justice

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Facts that Matter

• Markets tend to exploit individuals. Therefore, the government establishes laws to protect people from such exploitation, aiming to control unfair market practices.
• Private companies and contractors may prioritise maximum profits over workers' rights, leading to unpaid wages.
• There is a minimum wage law in place to guarantee fair pay for workers.
• The government also seeks to safeguard the interests of producers and consumers in the market, with specific laws for their protection.
• These laws aim to ensure that the relationships between the worker, consumer, and producer are fair and non-exploitative.
• While laws exist to protect various interests, what truly matters is the implementation of these laws. Without enforcement, it is challenging to shield the weak from the strong.
• To ensure fair wages for all workers, the government must regularly inspect workplaces and penalise those who break the law.
• By creating, enforcing, and maintaining these laws, the government can regulate the actions of individuals and companies to promote social justice.
• In October 2006, the government revised the Child Labour Prevention Act, prohibiting children under 14 years from working as domestic help or in restaurants. Employing these children is now a punishable offence.
• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy is known as the worst industrial disaster in the world, occurring in 1984. Union Carbide (UC), an American company, had a pesticide factory in Bhopal. On 2 December 1984, a toxic gas, methyl-isocyanide (MIC), leaked from the plant, leading to numerous fatalities. Survivors suffered from severe respiratory issues and vision problems, while many children had unusual health conditions.
• The disaster was not accidental; the company (Union Carbide) intentionally neglected crucial safety measures to save costs.
• Even after UC ceased operations, it left behind significant quantities of toxic waste that contaminated the ground and water.
• 25 years later, people continue to seek justice, demanding safe drinking water, healthcare services, and jobs for those affected by UC's actions.
• One might wonder why Union Carbide established its plant in India.
• Foreign companies often come to India for cheap labour, allowing them to reduce costs and increase profits.
• Lower working conditions and reduced safety measures are methods used to cut expenses. At the UC plant, all safety devices were malfunctioning.
• Due to high unemployment in India, many workers are willing to accept unsafe jobs for wages, which employers exploit.
• The government must ensure that safety regulations are enforced. It is also its responsibility to uphold the Right to Life protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• The Bhopal disaster highlights the government's lack of accountability. Safety regulations were weak and poorly enforced.
• Officials failed to recognise the plant as hazardous, allowing it to operate in a densely populated area, thereby disregarding public safety.
• In the year of the Bhopal gas incident, India's safety regulations were inadequate and not enforced. The environment was treated as a free resource, allowing industries to pollute without restrictions.
• The Bhopal incident brought environmental issues to the forefront.
• The Indian government introduced new environmental laws, holding the polluter responsible for environmental damage.
• Laws are essential not only for the protection of workers but also for those who may be harmed by industrial accidents.
• A key responsibility of the government is to create appropriate laws and ensure their enforcement. Weak and poorly enforced laws can lead to severe disasters.

Words that Matter

• Consumer: One who buys goods for personal use.
• Producer: A person or an organisation that produces goods for sale in the market.
• Investment: It refers to the money that is spent to purchase new machinery or buildings or training so as to be able to increase production in the times to come.
• Hazardous: Condition that is full of dangers.