Gansanghraj
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
Democracy, people's rule or civilian rule, has existed in India even in ancient times. The very term Indians used for 'democracy' is 'gansanghraj' meaning "people's assembly rule".
The gansangh was a local administrative body wherein people made decisions together for the good of the village, or in some case, a regional kingdom.
Today, India is the world's largest democracy. There are countries more democratic, meaning there are more freedoms (i.e., right to bare many arms, right to publish obscene materials) but India is the largest-functioning democracy.