[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927) › c2.2 # Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c2.2 Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c2.2 - **Language:** English ### [c2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2.2) The interest and value of the theme have suffered unhappily from the unwise enthusiasm of some writers who have attempted to prove that India made notable contributions to the theory of politics, and that constitutional monarchy was early recognised. Dr. Beni Prasad has no illusions on these heads; his study of political science has enabled him more effectively than his predecessors to bring out in Chapters I and XII the fundamental characteristics, the merits and the shortcomings, of Indian doctrines. Treated as contributions to the art of government, the political writings reviewed by the author present a wealth of interesting matter, illuminating the whole course of Indian history, and exhibiting many of the merits, as well as some of the defects, of the Indian intellect. The author has been at pains to cover the ground adequately; he has given the essential data from the epics, the Dharma Sûtras and Śâstras, the commentators, the Purânas, and the Nitiśâstras, and not less interesting are his chapters on Buddhist and Jaina theories and on the political ideas which are found in the secular non-technical literature (VIII and X). A sketch of the theory of the government of corporations (XI) is of special importance, for, while the central administration of Indian states might change in form and function, there remained as a basis of stability the corporate life of the smaller social groups, whose solidarity enabled the Indian states to survive repeated onslaughts. In this as in other chapters it is possible to disagree on matters of detail with the author, but in essentials he presents just and trustworthy account of Indian thought, and his work should serve to dispel the prevalent impression that India in ancient times was pre-eminently a land of transcendental philosophers and had no place for men of practical thought, skilled in statecraft and capable of wise and efficient government. - [Previous: c2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2.1) - [Next: c2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2.3) - [Up: c2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2) ## Linked texts (4) - [ལུགས་ཀྱི་བསྟན་བཅོས](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vidya.nitisastra*bo) — Classical Tibetan - [Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma) - [Purāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) — Sanskrit - [Śāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.post.sastra) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.prasad-1927.c2.2) · Pramāṇa