Democratic features of Mohenjo-daro

A new study suggests that the urban centre of Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley Civilisation may have practiced a form of governance comparable to the democratic systems of ancient Greece and Rome.

The research, conducted by a team analysing 31 ancient societies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, was highlighted in a statement by the Field Museum in the United States. It challenges the long-held belief that democracy was rare in early complex societies.

Key Findings:
The researchers identified two major dimensions of governance:

• Power concentration: Whether authority is held by a single ruler or a small elite group.
• Inclusiveness: The extent to which ordinary citizens participate in decision-making.

Based on archaeological and historical evidence, societies like Mohenjo-daro exhibited features of inclusive governance, where power was more widely distributed among the population.

Urban Design as Evidence:
The study used city planning and architecture as indicators of political systems:

• Democratic traits: Broad public spaces, open urban layouts, and structures that facilitate gatherings and exchange of ideas.
• Autocratic traits: Centralized layouts, roads leading to a ruler’s residence, and monumental structures like pyramids with restricted access.

Mohenjo-daro, along with cities such as Teotihuacan, showed signs of collective governance, including large open spaces used for public gatherings, rituals, and community activities aimed at social cohesion rather than glorifying rulers.

Broader Insights:
The study also found that:

• Societies with inclusive political systems tended to have lower economic inequality.
• Systems funded through broad-based taxation or community labour were more likely to promote shared governance.

Source: Field Museum