Jaina Political Thought

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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Despite changes of philosophical terminology and sophistication,the Vedic tradition of political theory remained essentially unchanged and may thus be summed up in the following three propositions:
(a) Dharma is the sovereigns (Ksatrasya
Ksatram)11
(b) Dharma is revealed by the Vedas12
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(c) The Veda is preserved and taught by the Brahmanas under whose direction the king should administer the country.This may justly be described as a hierarchical theory. Now it is well known that the Jaina tradition which was Sramanic and anti-Brahmanical questioned this Vedic theory at the crucial points viz., the authority of the Veda and of the Brahmanas. It did not question that a transcendental law existed or that temporal authority must ultimately justify itself with reference to that law. It accepted that dharma is the real sovereign and has a cosmic sweep. Earthly law in so far as it is just is merely a human attempt to follow dharma. It follows that rulers to one subject to Natural Law but following the Natural Law is not like following a codified positive law where the person who judges and administers the law does not need to have any moral qualifications, at least in so far as he is not directly affected by his own administration. One can discern and fearlessly act by dharma only by being a moral hero. The secret of good government does not lie in any intellectually intricate science to be acquired by research or cleverness. Good Government is not simply a non-morally efficient government based on technical expertise and efficiency. Good government is simply and essentially government by the good. The action of the government is not a species on non-moral behaviour. merely a set of means to be judged simply by their adequacy without reference to the moral quality of the ends they promote. The action of rulers is a species of moral conduct to be judged by universal moral standards and it is of essence of moral conduct that it depends not on the 'natural ability knowledge and training of the agent but on his inward preception and discipline. The rulers are to be obeyed by the people not because of the threats and promises implicit in such obedience, not yet because such obedience is generally useful or an implicit or original promise but because the rulers act by the same law which is binding on the people. It is the law which is to be obeyed. To avoid violence or greed or deceit is, for example, an obligation for every human being equally whether he is a ruler or is being ruled. Every one must rule himself in accordance with the moral law and with respect to others is entitled only to perform his moral duties. Political authority and obedience have no special or privileged status. They are simply corresponding parts of a common moral set-up of which the basis lies beyond mere human
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