Compare the form of government in magadha vajji and Greece
Answers
Magadha became a powerful kingdom called Mahajanapada while Vajji was under a different form of government, known as gana or sangha.
Magadha
Magadha became the most important mahajanapada in about two hundred years.
Many rivers such as the Ganga and Son flowed through This was important for transport, water supplies, making the land fertile.
Parts of Magadha were forested in which elephants were lived. They could be captured and trained for the army.
Forests also provided wood for building houses, carts and chariots. Besides, there were iron ore mines in the region that could be tapped to make strong tools and weapons.
Magadha had two very powerful rulers, Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, who used all possible means to conquer other janapadas.
Mahapadma Nanda was another important ruler. He extended his control up to the north-west part of the subcontinent.
Rajagriha (Rajgir) in Bihar was the capital of Magadha for several years. Later the capital was shifted to Pataliputra (Patna).
It is believed that the rulers of Magadha had vast armies of foot soldiers, chariots and elephants.
Vajji
Vajji, with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar), was under a different form of government, known as gana or sangha.
In a gana or a sangha there were not one, but many rulers. Sometimes, even when thousands of men ruled together, each one was known as a raja.
These rajas performed rituals together. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate.
For example, if they were attacked by an enemy, they met to discuss what should be done to meet the threat. However, women, dasas and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies.
Both the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas. Some of the most vivid descriptions of life in the sanghas can be found in Buddhist books.
Sanghas were lasted for a very long time, till about 1500 years ago, when the last of the ganas or sanghas were conquered by the Gupta rulers.