Journal Press India^®

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This study explores how residents of Navi Mumbai perceive fairness in economic life. Based on a survey of 224 individuals across income groups, it examines how people relate everyday financial experiences to justice and moral responsibility. The research blends ideas from Indian and Western traditions—such as Buddhist economic ethics, Arthashastra’s statecraft, Rawls’ theory of justice, and Sen’s capabilities approach. The findings show that fairness is often linked to effort, need, and community support, rather than purely to market outcomes. Though financial concerns remain central, people’s moral beliefs shape how they assess economic choices and public policies. The study offers a grounded view of how ethical values influence thinking about income, access, and distribution. Books like Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? by Michael Sandel and Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen help frame these perspectives within wider debates in philosophy and policy. The result is a rich, field-based understanding.

Keywords

Fairness; Redistribution; Capability approach; Public perception

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