State and Government in Ancient India c13.103

c13.103

In the ideal Gaṇa state, there were no parties and matters were not pressed to a vote. Meetings were characterised by concord and harmony and the opinions of the elders and not the vote of the majority decided the issue. This was the usual practice among the Lichchhavis during the golden period of their republican constitution.¹ The Assembly of the Ambashṭha republic first appointed generals to oppose Alexander the Great, but later accepted the advice of their elders and decided to make peace proposals.