SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This work is a detailed study of the republican and quasi-republican institutions in ancient India down to the time of the Buddha, The introduction deals with the work of previous scholars, the sources and the interpretation and definition of the term gana, republic. The second chapter, after giving a thorough discussion of the relative development of different forms of constitutions and the question of "elective monarchy", considers four special forms of non-monarchical government during the Vedic period, hitherto unnoticed and their relationship with the northeastern republics. The chapter concludes with a critical study of the controversial topic of the Vidatha. The next chapter commences with a critical study of the much discussed issue of the Vajjian Confederacy and the number of republics which constituted it. In the following chapter, we discuss the name, etymology, origin, government and organization, procedure of justice, foreign relations and political history of the Licchavis-the most powerful confederate and chief element in the Vajjian Confederacy. This is followied by the treatment of other confederating republics of the League on similar lines, after which the Sakyan, Koliyan, Moriyan and lesser known republics of the time of the Buddha have been discussed, on almost the same pattern as the Licchavis. The thesis concludes with a brief summary, a consideration of the causes of the decline of republican government in India, and an assessment of its place in the polity of Ancient India as a whole.