द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

16 THE INDIAN STRUGGLE
caste-democracy under the control of a Panchayat.¹ There
were popular Panchayats in India since the oldest times, not
only for carrying on the village administration—but also for
administering the caste-regulations and maintaining discipline
within the caste. Throughout the succeeding Buddhistic
period the people enjoyed large self-governing powers.
During this period, the 'assembly' and the 'vote' were
popular institutions. The advent of Maurya imperialism did
not encroach on these powers nor did it destroy the republics
which still continued to flourish. The Empire of the Guptas
and of Harsha proceeded on the same lines. Under the Mo-
hammedan rulers, though there was unbridled autocracy, the
Central Government rarely interfered in provincial or local
affairs. The governor of a 'Suba' or a province was of course
appointed by the Emperor, but as long as revenue was
regularly sent into the imperial coffers, the provincial adminis-
tration was not interfered with in any way. Though occa-
sionally a fanatical ruler would attempt proselytisation, on the
whole the people enjoyed complete freedom in religious,
cultural and social affairs, no matter who occupied the throne
at Delhi. British historians are without exception guilty of
overlooking this fact and when they loosely talk of despotism
to which orientals are accustomed, they forget that behind
this cloak of despotism, the people enjoyed a large measure of
real liberty, which they have been denied under British rule.
Both before and after the Aryan conquest of India, autono-
mous village institutions have been a consistent feature of
the public life of India. This is true as much of the Aryan
kingdoms of the north as of the Tamil kingdoms of the
south.² But under British rule these institutions have been
destroyed and the long arm of the bureaucracy stretches into
the remotest villages. There is not one square foot of land
where the people feel that they are free to manage their own
affairs. With regard to political literature also, ancient India
has much to boast of. The Mahabharata is a storehouse of
knowledge and information for the student of political science.
¹ Panchayat which literally means a committee of five, is a very ancient
institution.
² In this connection it is worth while studying the Chola kingdom of
South India of the tenth and twelfth century A.D.