Abstract

Since the days of colonialism, the debate on the nature of ancient political ideas, practices and order has been going on. The Western scholars failed to appreciate the ideological depth of ancient Indian political order and reduced it to as nothing but the reflection of religious order. It was widely held that the democracy and its institutions originated in the West, mainly in the ancient Greek. However, Indian scholars have mined a rich data and offered new interpretations to ancient political ideas and practices in India. Now India has come to claim that she is the ‘mother of democracy’. If we take democracy as a set of ideals and practices, there are ample evidences that such practices were in vogue in ancient India. The ancient Indian ideals of collective decision-making, toleration, respect of diversity, faith in Ahimsa, harmonious blending between Individual and state through Dharma and other such values are the essence of democratic practice and way of life. In addition, now it is proved with ample evidence that this democratic culture was sustained and carried forward through various democratic practices and institutions like ancient republics and Buddhist Sanghas.

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