Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.555

c7.555

According to our interpretation of the sources, the *samiti* alone was the popular institution of the Vedic period. What evidence there is for an earliest folk-assembly of the Vedic people is connected with the *samiti*, and according to our suggestion, it developed from the *viś*-body.⁴ Thus, the *viś* would be the forerunner of the *samiti*. We have shown above that the *viś* heads of families elected the king, and that it represented the earliest stage of political development in the non-monarchical political communities.⁵ If the *vidatha* were the earliest folk-assembly, it would be expected that it participated in some important tribal functions, such as the election of a king. We know of no verse in the *Ṛg* and *Atharva Vedas* which associates the *vidatha* with the establishment of a man to kingship.