Local Government in Ancient India c13.38

c13.38

It will appear from the above description of the procedure of the election that the people of the whole village regarded themselves as vitally interested in its purity and success, on which depended so largely their common welfare. The weak point in the system, however, was that the method of selection was simply the mechanical one of casting lots instead of voting by ballot, and the consequent process of elimination of names according to the number of votes secured by each. There was universal suffrage, but the democratic principle was not followed up in its complete consequence. Probably the conformity to the conditions of eligibility for membership produced for all practical purposes approximate uniformity of competence and capacity in the persons named on the voting papers or tickets, so that there was not much to choose between them. On the other hand, the method of casting lots would give no scope to canvassing and other electioneering methods of doubtful utility and ethical value. The conditions of eligibility were a sufficient safeguard against the return of a really undesirable person, and the necessary eliminations they involved would leave but very little chance of any undesirable result. It is significant that the priesthood occupied a dignified position in the meeting of the general assembly, and that their oldest member was chosen as the president of the meeting. The part given to the young is also interesting. The union of God-fearing age with unsophisticated youth must have been naturally productive of the happiest results and preventive of all foul play.