Labour Standards and Economic Development – Identifying The Contours of Conflict

The International Labour Organisation has played a significant role in promoting international labour standards.India, being a member of the ILO ever since its formation, has effectively contributed to the codification of such standards.India has similarly been benefiting from these standards in developing its policy framework based on such social as well as labour aspects. However, the introduction of such labour standards in the market can have an economic impact as well, thereby making their assessment important for developing countries like India.This project revolves around the major controversies which surround labour standards and their relationship with the economic development of a country. This project seeks to address the arguments on whether enforcement of international labour standards is detrimental to economy and trade. Whether such internationally agreed rules should be applied for the improvement of the working and living conditions of workers, or whether labour conditions themselves naturally improve with economic growth, is a source of incessant debate, and is the consideration of this project