Mahajanapada Period:

Que. Give an account of gana-sanghas (non-monarchical state systems)? Why did they decline? [UPSC CSE-2018]

Approach:

(1) Explain the formation of the gana-sanghas.

(2) Mention the sources and the features of Gana-sanghas.

(3) Explain the downfall of Gana-sanghas.

(4) Conclude by stating its impact and further development of the Gana-sanghas.

Introduction:

The widespread usage of iron in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Western Bihar beginning in the sixth century B.C., as demonstrated by excavations at Raj ghat and Chirand, led to the development of huge territorial entities known as Manajanapadas. The Buddhist literature, particularly the Anguttara Nikaya, describes sixteen mahajanapadas, which can be divided into monarchies (rajyas) and republics/non-monarchical (Ganas or Sanghas).

Gana-sangha is a compound phrase that refers to those who seek equal status and an assembly. These were the systems in which the clan’s territory was controlled by the chiefs of its families through an assembly. Vriji, Malla, Kuru, Panchal, and Kaboj were republican nations, as were other lesser states such as Lichhavi, Shakya, Koliya, Bhagga, and Morya.

Sources of Gana-sanghas:

(1) Mahabharata: In chapter 107/108 of Mahabharata’s Shanti Parva, there is a detailed narration about the features of republics (called ganas) in India.

(i) It states that when there is unity among the people of a republic that republic becomes powerful and its people become prosperous and they are destroyed only by internal conflicts between the people.

(ii) It shows that in ancient India there were not only kingdoms (like Hastinapur and Indraprastha) but also regions where there was no king but a republic.

(2) Buddhist canon: Both in Sanskrit and in Pali has extensive reference to republics in India, e.g. the Lichchavi city of Vaishali.

(3) Greek Records: The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus writes that at the time of Alexander’s invasion (in 326 B.C.), most cities in North West India had democratic forms of government (though some areas were under kings, e.g. Ambhi and Porus) and this is also mentioned by the historian Arian.

(4) Kautilya’s Arthashastra: As per the Arthashastra, in the happiness and benefit of his people lies the happiness and benefit of the King. Thus even monarchies functioned on the welfare of the citizens.

Features of Gana-sanghas:

(1) Origin: The origin of the gana-sanghas is related to migration to the middle Ganga valley.

(2) Nature: Some of the gana-sanghas comprised single clan units like Sakyas, Koliyas and Mallas. Some were confederacies of clans of which were Vrjji of whom Licchavis were most important.

(3) Types: Gana-sanghas have been variously interpreted as republics, oligarchies and chiefdoms. The members of the ruling lineages were referred to as rajas, rajakulas or consecrated Kshatriyas.

(4) Process of Decision making: Decisions were arrived at through the method of voting. Within the rajakulas all members were regarded as equal.

(5) Army and Taxation: They did not possess a standing army nor did they have any regular system of revenue collection.

(6) Varna System: Varna organisation did not determine social status in Ganasangha areas.

(7) Incipient State: All these features indicate the existence of an incipient state or stratified society. Differences among the members of the gana-sanghas would lead to fissioning off among groups.

Downfall of Gana-sanghas:

(1) Unity vs Collective Leadership: The monarchies enjoyed the benefit of unity of command whereas the republics were based on collective leadership and due to this monarchy can take strong and effective measures as according to circumstances.

Power in the republics was concentrated in the hands of a few clans who were not ready to give to other sections of the society. The Kshatriyas did not consider other classes of society equal to them, hence, they were not in a position to increase the circle of their influence. As a result, compared to their monarchical counterparts their power essentially remained modest.

(2) Economic Base: The economic base of republicans was much weaker than that of monarchies because the republican states were located in the foothills of Himalaya and other mountain ranges and were smaller in size.

(3) Threats from Neighbouring monarchies: The growing power of neighbouring centralised monarchy systems, which with their central command structure, bureaucracy and patronage to powerful factions could wield resources more effectively than the faction-ridden Sanghas.

(4) Internal disputes: Internal disputes among the Sanghas, as mentioned in contemporary texts like the Anguttara Nikaya weakened the oligarchies and made them an easier target of attack and subsequent defeat.

(5) Geographical disadvantage: Located mainly in the hills, deserts and borderlands these Gana-Sangha lacked natural resources and were thus not in a position to confront the outside forces which contributed to their weakening.

(6) Socio-culture outlook: The outlook of republic states was conservative. They maintained very limited interaction with the outside world and due to this republic states could not get the benefits of the progress taking place in other parts of India.

(7) Caste arrogance and caste system: Caste arrogance and caste system was one of the reasons for the decline of the republics because the republics could not accept the people born in other castes on the basis of equality. As a result, despite having democratic ideology the republics could not bring about unity in their own state.

(8) Hereditary Nature: Many of the offices in republic states had become hereditary over time and the principle of merit which was an important feature of republic polity got sidelined.

(9) Rivalries: Greed for power and personal rivalries broke the unity of the republics. The aggressive policies of contemporary monarchies had also contributed significantly to the decline of republics. Ajatasatru had defeated a confederacy of vajji.

(10) Loss of support: Support from various powerful factions of society weaned away/lost over time. According to historian Upinder Singh and Romila Thapar, the established religious bodies (both Brahmanic and Shramanic) turned their faces to monarchies in search of better patrons, who were relatively easily protected and patronised by the monarchical states than by the Gana-Sanghas.

Conclusion:

Despite their decline, the Gana-Sangha bodies continued to play a stellar role in the political and socio-economic fabric of the country and millennia after their decline they continued to remain a beacon of attraction and emulation during the struggle for freedom and establishment of an Indian republic.

After the Mauryas fell, the republics rose and flourished for a few centuries, but all of these republican governments were eventually destroyed by the imperial Guptas, who followed a policy of empire enlargement and annexation of neighboring nations. Chandra Gupta destroyed a number of them. The majority of them were created by Samudra Gupta, with the remainder created by Chandra Gupta.