Journal of European Economic History journal thumbnail
Volume:7, Issue: 3
Citations
13 Views
5 Downloads
Share this article
Useful Links
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Journal of European Economic History
2026, Volume:7, Issue: 3 : 149-168 doi: 10.61336/JEEH/23-3-9
Research Article
Invisible Hands of Growth: Inequality and Human Development Among Beedi Workers in Bharat and Bihar
1
Research Scholar, Amity University Ranchi Jharkhand
Received
July 1, 2026
Revised
July 13, 2026
Accepted
July 13, 2026
Published
July 23, 2026
Abstract

This study examines the complex relationship between economic growth, inequality, and human development among beedi workers in India, a largely informal and marginalized segment of the workforce. Despite significant economic progress in India, the benefits of growth have not been equitably distributed, particularly among workers in unorganized sectors such as the beedi industry. The research highlights the persistent socio-economic challenges faced by beedi workers, including low wages, poor working conditions, lack of social security, and limited access to healthcare and education. The study adopts a mixed-method approach using both primary and secondary data, analyzed through statistical tools such as SPSS. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis are used to examine the relationship between income, education, working conditions, and health outcomes. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between education and income, indicating that education plays a crucial role in improving economic conditions. However, the overall income levels remain low, reflecting deep-rooted inequality. Gender disparities are also evident, with female workers earning significantly less than their male counterparts due to structural and social constraints. Furthermore, the study identifies occupational health risks and exploitative labor practices as major barriers to human development. The piece-rate wage system and lack of formal contracts contribute to economic insecurity and vulnerability. The results underscore that economic growth alone is insufficient to ensure inclusive development without targeted policy interventions. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for stronger regulatory frameworks, formalization of labor, and gender-sensitive policies to improve the socio-economic conditions of beedi workers. It also suggests enhancing access to education, healthcare, and social protection schemes to promote equitable and sustainable human development. This study examines the relationship between economic growth, inequality, and human development among beedi workers in India. The beedi industry, being part of the informal sector, is characterized by low wages, poor working conditions, and lack of social security. Using both primary and secondary data, the study highlights income inequality, gender disparities, and occupational health risks faced by beedi workers. Statistical tools such as SPSS are applied to analyze income levels, working conditions, and access to welfare schemes. The findings reveal that despite economic growth, human development indicators among beedi workers remain low. The study suggests policy interventions for improving living standards and reducing inequality.

Keywords
None
License
Copyright (c) Journal of European Economic History
Creative Commons Attribution License Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All papers should be submitted electronically. All submitted manuscripts must be original work that is not under submission at another journal or under consideration for publication in another form, such as a monograph or chapter of a book. Authors of submitted papers are obligated not to submit their paper for publication elsewhere until an editorial decision is rendered on their submission. Further, authors of accepted papers are prohibited from publishing the results in other publications that appear before the paper is published in the Journal unless they receive approval for doing so from the Editor-In-Chief.
J Euro Eco His open access articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This license lets the audience to give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made and if they remix, transform, or build upon the material, they must distribute contributions under the same license as the original.
Recommended Articles
Research Article Open Access
Retracted
2026, Volume:7, Issue :2 : 765-792
Research Article Open Access
Trade relationship between Gulf cooperation council countries and India
2026, Volume:7, Issue: 3 : 82-98
DOI: 10.61336/JEEH/23-3-6
Research Article Open Access
Improving Security in Health care Appliances Using a Secret code Based Organizer System
2026, Volume:7, Issue: 3 : 99-107
DOI: 10.61336/JEEH/23-3-7
Research Article Open Access
Operations Excellence Models, Metrics, and Managerial Implications: A Review
2026, Volume:7, Issue: 3 : 108-148
DOI: 10.61336/JEEH/23-3-8
© Copyright @Banco di Roma, Unless it otherwise mention
Email: support@unicredit-capitalia.eu