Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India by Ram Sharan Sharma

The present work aspects of political ideas and institutions in ancient Indian discusses different views on the origin and nature of the state in ancient India. It also deals with stages and processes of state formation and examines the relevance of caste and kin based collectivities to the construction of polity. The Vedic assemblies are studied in some detail and developments in political organisation are presented in relation to their changing social and economic background. The book also shows how religion and rituals were brought in the service of the ruling class. Arranged in 22 chapters the book discusses historiography of ancient Indian polity up to 1930, sources and method, the Saptanga theory of the state, theories of property, family and varna regarding the origin of the state, the contract theory of the origin of the state, theory of "Oriental Despotism", Sabha and Samiti, origin of the post-Vedic Republics, the early Parisad, tribal and primitive aspects of the later Vedic polity, kin conflicts and rise of hierarchy in later Vedic times, changing position of the King, taxation and state formation in northern India in Pre-Maurya times, Varna in relation to law, religion and politics, the Satavahana, Kusana and Gupta Polity, etc.