India: Mother of Democracy

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The essence of ancient Indian political theory and practices of governance revolved around the uniquely Bhartiya concept of Dharma. This enjoined people to nurture the values of compassion, ethics and non-violence. Political power was viewed as a trust, a commitment. India's ancient traditions of governance attested to commitment to those principles, which gave it a unique standing among world civilizations. The States in ancient India were far less centralised than the other contemporary world civilizations.

This raises a fundamental question: Was Bharat (India) the 'Loktantra ki Janani', the 'Mother of Democracy'? The answer can be found in India's ancient scriptures. The Rigveda, commonly regarded as the most ancient Indian text, refers to institutions that can be regarded as precursors of the democratic ideal. The two assemblies, sabha and samiti, formed an essential feature of governance. The term sabha denoted the people in conclave, while samiti was an assembly of the people. Another ancient text, the Atharvaveda, detailed the concord between the king and his subjects. Centuries later, we find references to the Parishad. The ancient grammarian, Panini in a sutra, referred to the king as Parishad-bala, one whose strength was drawn from the Parishad.

India is unique among the world's ancient civilizations. When observed carefully, it is easy to notice that much of what the common Indian has adopted as a way of life over the centuries has roots going back thousands of years. Importantly, a great part of this philosophy of life that has been passed down from generation to generation is also recorded in our ancient texts. The earliest of such literary works, the Samhita of the Rgveda, for example, is at least five thousand years old and may be even older. As R.C. Majumdar had put it:

A continuous stream of literature flowing since these remote ages, widening in course of centuries and embracing almost all fields of human endeavour excepting political activity throws a light on the civilization of India such as we do not find in cases of other ancient cultures. This mass of literature specific to India deals with philosophy and religion including ethics, ritual and ceremonial; cosmogony, cosmology, geography, astronomy and the allied sciences; political and economic doctrines and practices and in a minor way with almost all branches of secular life.

What we learn from our ancient texts without doubt is the profound manner in which India's ancient civilization is distinguishable from other ancient civilizations, like Greece and Rome.