History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.221

v4.c62.221

These frantic efforts by such scholars as Jayaswal to prove that India had elective assemblies are made to counteract the sinister propaganda of many English writers that East is East and West is West and that the democratic institutions of the West cannot be transplanted with success on the soil of India. This is mischievous propaganda. There were no democracies even in Europe a few hundred years ago; even in England, France and a few other countries democracies have been introduced and have thrived within a short time. There is no reason why they should not do so in India, if honest efforts are made and difficulties are not purposely created by vested interests. Korkunov in ‘General theory of law’ (tr. by Hastings, 1922, New York p. 296) says ‘According to the historical school the political organization of England is good for England alone, for it corresponds to a natural genius very peculiar....This doctrine of the historical school is false, since we have already seen that a change produced in the social ideal may bring about a change in the whole social development. The influence of one people on the life of another is a proof of this. The ideal is a force supporting the social life and this ideal may be the result not merely of our own special experience, but also of the experience of neighbouring peoples’.