Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times

Language: English
Pages: 414





Preface:

 

'Hindu Polity,' in two volumes (Parts) the first on Vedic Assemblies and Republics, the second on Monarchy and Imperial Systems-is a sketch of the constitutional life of the Hindus.

Subject and Difficulty: The subject is great but its treatment has to be modest. The works of purva-suris had long been hidden; the path opened by them had long been lost. It had to be researched. In 1911-13 a probable line was laid to dig and discover the Ancients' highway in the field of Polity. In these pages that line has been deepened and widened. And the way of the Fathers is in sight.

Pioneer Work: The author made a special study to find out what constitutional progress, if any, Ancient Indians had achieved. In 1911 and 1912 some results of the study were published in the legal journal the Calcutta Weekly Notes and the Calcutta monthly the Modern Review. A connected paper was read to the Hindi Literary Conference in 1912 and its translation published in the Modern Review, 1913, under the title, An Introduction to Hindu Polity'.

Before the publication of the Introduction there had been no work in any modern language on the subject. The Introduction fulfilled its purpose. Today the subject finds place in University teaching. And the author has had the satisfaction of seeing his results quoted and reiterated, with or without acknowledgment, almost every year; the subject has become popular; the truth has been recognized, accepted and adopted: it has rightly ceased to be his.

Preparation of the Present Work: Vincent Smith suggested to the author to treat the subject of Hindu republics in detail, and several friends insisted on having the Introduction in book-form. Abou