Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c14.s5.22

c14.s5.22

Caste Usage. Gautama and the other lawgivers are full of similar descriptions of offences and expiations but each small subsection of a sub-caste tended to develop a usage of its own. It was to be enforced by the public opinion of the group, generally expressed at a meeting for the purpose. In the towns and villages of India one may still see these assemblies at work. They have no permanent organisation, no regular chairman or secretaries, no written rules of procedure within the group, so to say there is a latent force which springs into action to meet a contingency. It works informally but expeditiously.