MAURAYAN STATE
THE FORMATION OF STATE WAS COMPLETED AROUND 500 B.C.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FULL-FLEDGED STATE SYSTEM WITH ALL FOUR
ESSENTIAL FACTORS OF THE STATE NAMELY A TERRITORY,A POPULATION
,UNITY AND ORGANISATION IN A COMPLETELY EVOLVED FORM WAS A
DISTINGUISHING FEATURE OF THE MAURAYAN AGE.
ACOORDING TO THE ARTHSHASTRA OF KAUTILYA THE STATE CONSISTED OF
THE SEVEN LIMBS (SAPTANGA)--------THE KING(SWAMIN)
THE MINISTER(AMATYA)THE TERRITORY OR THE COUNTRY(JANAPADA OR
RASHTRA)
THE FORT(DURGA)
THE TREASURY(KOSHA)
THE ARMY(BALA)
THE ALLY(MITRA)
THE IDEA BEHIND THE SAPTANGA THEORY WAS THAT WITHOUT A PROPER
ORGANISATION ,ASTATE OF LAWLESSNESS(MATSYANYAYA)WOULD SET IN
AND THAT HINDERS THE THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE’S PERSONALITY.
IN THE MAURAYAN POLITY THE KING WAS
CONSIDERED ALL-POWERFUL THOUGH THE
ARTHSHASTRA LAY EMPHASIS ON THE
CONCEPTION OF THE KING AS THE SERVANT OF
THE STATE WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BASIC
PRINCIPLES OF ANCIENT INDIAN POLITICAL
THOUGHT.
THE EXALTATION OF THE ROYAL AUTHORITYIS A
STRIKING FEATURE OF THE NATURE OF THE
MAURYAN STATE THE ARTHSHASTRA GRANTS THE
POWER OF LEGISLATION BY EDICTS AND DECREES
,A POWER WHICH WAS NEVER ENJOYED BY THE
KING BEFORE IN INDIA
THE MAURAYAN STATE HAD DEVELOPED A HIGHLY ORGANIZED
BUREAUCRATIC ADMINISTRATION CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING THE STABILITY
OF THE EMPIRE SPANNING THE LENGTH AND BREATH OF THE LAND AND
CONTROLLING ALL SPHERES OF LIFE.
IN ONE PASSAGE THE ARTHASHASTRA SPEAKS OF 18
TIRTHS(DEPARTMENTS) AND IN ADDITION MAKES PROVISION FOR 27
SUPERINTENDENTS(ADHYAKAS).
THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH THE ECONOMIC,MILITARY AND SOCIAL
FUNCTIONS.
OF THE CHIEF DEPARTMENTS CHARGED WITH THE ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS
ARE THOSE OF COMMERCE,FOREST PRODUCE,WEAVING
AGRICULTURE,PASTURELANDS,MINES,OCEANIC MINES,METALS,MINTS
,SALTS,WASTELANDS,TOLLS AND EXERCISE
THE CHIEF MILITARY DEPARTMENTS ARE THOSE OF
ARMOURY,HORSES,ELEPHANTS,CHARIOTS AND INFANTRY.
THE ADMINISTRATION SHOWED EQUAL CONCERN FOR THE HEALTH OF THE
SOCIETY BECOMES EVIDENT FROM THE APPOINTMENT OF
SUPERINTENDENTS TO CONTROL THE PROSTITUTES,GAMBLING
DENS,LIQUOR SHOPS ETC.
THE POLICE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIC
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT.IT PREVENTED THE
COMMISSION OF CRIMES AND BRINGING THE
TRANSGRESSORS OF LAW TO JUSTICE.IF THEY FAIL TO
TRACE THE THIEF,THEY HAD TO MAKE GOOG THE LOSS.
IN ORDER TO SUPRESS CRIME THE ARTHASHASTRA ADVISES
THE IMPOSITION OF STRINGENT CURFEWFROM ABOUT TWO
AND A HALF HOURS AFTER THE SUNSET TO THE SAME TIME
BEFORE THE DAWN.
THERE WAS AN EFFICIENTLY ORGANISED ESPIONAGE
SYSTEM AND THE SPIES IN DISGUISE HELPED THE POLICE IN
THE DETECTION OF CRIMES
KAUTILA ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE SELECTION
OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS .HE LAYS DOWN
QUALIFICATIONS AND PRESCRIBES RULES FOR THEIR
PROMOTION .
THIS HIGHLY ORGANISED BUREAUCRACY APPEARS TO HAVE
TIED WITH THE RED-TAPE THAT IS WHY KAUTILYA SUGGESTS
THAT EACH DEPARTMENT WAS WAS TO BE OFFICERED BY
SEVERAL TEMPORARY HEADS.
HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF THE
GOVERNMENT SERVANTS.
THE TEXTS SAYS THAT NO SUPERINTENDENT SHALL BE
ALLOWED TO TAKE DECISION WITHOUT BRINGING IT TO THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR MASTERS EXCEPT REMEDIAL
MEASURES AGAINST IMMINENT DANGERS.
THE BOOK GAVE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAYS
OF DIFFERENT DIGNITARIES AND OFFICERS.
THE HIGHER FUNCTIONARIES SUCH AS THE PRIEST,THE
TEACHER,THE MINISTER,THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMED
FORCES ,THE HEIR-APPARENT PRINCE ,THE MOTHER OF THE
KING,AND THE QUEEN RECEIVED 48000 PANS MONTHLY.
THE LOWER OFFICIALS LIKE THE PALACE WORKERS
ATTENDENTSAND THE BODT-GUARDS RECEIVED ONLY 60
PANAS.
A MESSENGER OF THE MIDDLE QUALITY WAS GIVEN ONLY 10
OR 20 PANAS.
THE RATIO BETWEEN THE HIGHEST AND THE LOWEST
SERVANT OF THE GOVERNMENT THEREFORE WORKED OUT
TO BE 1:48000 WHICH SHOWS A YAWNING GAP BETWEEN THE
TWO.
THE NAVY TRANSPORT AND THE COMMISSARIAT
ARE THE MAURYAN INNOVATIONS.
THERE WERE ELABORATE RULES AND
REGULATIONS FOR THE TRAINING AND
DRILLINGOF SOLDIERS AND THAT SPECIAL
ATTENTION WAS PAID BY THE MILITARY
AUTHORITIES TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED IN THE
ARMY AND FOR THIS THE ARMY WAS
SUPPLEMENTED BY A CONTINGMENT OF DOCTORS
AND NURSES.
MUNITIONS OF WAR WERE MADE A STATE
ARSENALS AND THERE WAS A STATE
CONTROLOVER THE ARTISANS WHO PRODUCED
WEAPONS
DHAMASTHAYA WERE THE CIVIL COURTS
AND KANTAKSHODHAN WERE THE
CRIMINAL COURTS WHICH DIFFERED FROM
THE CIVIL COURTS BY THEIR MORE
SUMMARY PRODUCE AND SPEEDY
DISPOSAL.
OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THE
MURDER,THEFTS,DACOITY AND THE
SEXUAL OFFENCES APPEARED BEFORE
THE LATTER.
THE OFFICERS LIKE PRADESTA
PERFORMED BOTH POLICE AND
REVENUE
FUNCTIONS.SIMILARLY,OFFICIALS
LIKE SAMAHARTA,THE STHANIKA AND
THE GOPA PERFORMED BOTH THE
FISCAL AND POLICE AND
MAGISTERIAL FUNCTIONS.
CITY ADMINISTRATION
THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX SOCIAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
OF THE STATE COUPLED WITH THE NEED OF THE URBAN
SETTLEMENTS NECESSIATED THE CREATION OF A
MACHINARY FOR THE ADMINITRATION OF THE TOWNS
,WHICH WAS PERHAPS THE INNOVATION OF THE MAURYAS.
MEGASTHENES GAVE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE OF
THE MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION OF PATLIPUTRA.
HE SAYS THAT THE CITY OF PATLIPUTRA WAS ADMINISTERED
BY THE COMMITTEE OF THIRTY MEMBERS DIVIDED INTO SIX
COMMITTEES OF FIVE MEMBERS EACH.
THE KAUTILYA DOES NOT ENVISAGE THE INVOLVEMENT OF
LOCAL ELEMENTS IN THE CITY ADMINISTRATION.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT THERE WAS NAGARIKA,THE
GOVERNOR OF THE CITY.
HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WERE THAT OF THE REVENUE
COLLECTION ,PRESERVATION OF LAW AND ORDER AND THE
SUPERVISION OF THE SANITATION ARRANGEMENTS.
THE NAGARIKA WAS ASSISTED IN THE ADMINISTRATION BY
TWO OFFICIALS CALLED STHANIKA AND GOPA.
THE GOPA WAS CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE COLLECTION OF THE REVENUE NA THE SUPERVISION
OF THE FORTY HOUSEHOLDS EACH.
THE STHANIKA ATTENDED TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THE FOUR
QUARTERS OF THE TOWN.
A NEW SET OF OFFICIALS CALLED ANTAMAHAMATRAS WAS
APPOINTED SO AS TO SET THE BORDER PEOPLE RIGHT.
MAURAYAS POSSES THE WORLD’S MOST ANCIENT THEORY ON PUBLIC
FINANCE.
KAUTILYA MADE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE WAR ECONOMY AND THE
PEACE ECONOMY AND SAID THAT THE STABILITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION
DEPENDS ON THE TREASURY.
HE DEMONSTRATES GREAT INGENUITY IN DEVISING AND JUSTIFYING MEANS
FOR AUGUMENTING THE WEALTH OF THE STATE.
HE DOES NOT NEGLECT ANY SOURCE BECAUSE OF ITS SMALLNESS AND
LEAVES NOTHING OUT OF TAXATION.
HE BROUGHT RURAL AND URBAN AREAS IN ADDITION TO ARTISANS,AND
TRADERS UNDER THE TAX NET.
THE MANUAL LABOURES HAD TO WORK IN THE STATE FARMS FOR ONE DAY.
THE SANNIDHATA(CUSTODIAN OF THE TREASURY) AND THE SAMAHARTA
(THE CHIEF REVENUE COLLECTOR)WERE THE IMPORTANT OFFICIALS OF
THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
KAUTILA ADVOCATED THE GRADUAL SYSTEM OF TAXATION.
THE TRADERS TAXED NOT ON THEIR GROSS EARNINGBUT ON THE NET
PROFITS AND THE ARTICLES WAS TAXED ONLY ONCE.
THIS LARGE SYSTEM OF TAXATION WAS FOR MAINTAINING THE ARMY AND
THE BUREAUCRACY.
CONCLUSION
MAURAYAN SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION WAS
HIGHLY CENTRALIZEDAND THEY RECOGNIZED THE
NEED FOR UNIFORMITY IN ADMINISTRATIVE
INSTITUTIONS.
WE GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE
ADMINISTRATION OF PROVINCES(JANAPADAS)AND
THE DISTRICTS,BUT LITTLE ATTENTION WAS GIVEN
TO THE VILLAGE INSTITUIONS.
ASHOKA SHOWED TRACES OF DECENTRALISATION
WHEN HE GRANTED LARGE EXECUTIVE AND
JUDIACIL POWERS TO THE RAJUKAS.