Editing Public administration (section)

===India in the 6th century BCE===
{{Main article|Charvaka#Public_administration}}

The [[Harappa]] and [[Mohenjo-daro]] civilizations had organized bodies of public servants, suggesting the presence of some form of public administration. Numerous references exist to [[Brihaspati]]'s contributions to laws and governance. An excerpt from [[Ain-i-Akbari]] [vol.III, tr. by H. S. Barrett, p.&nbsp;217–218], written by [[Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak|Abul Fazl]], mentions a symposium of philosophers from various faiths held in 1578 at Akbar's instance.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Vincent |title=The Jain Teachers of Akbar |publisher=Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute |year=1917}}</ref> It is believed that some [[Charvaka]] thinkers may have participated in the symposium. In "[[Āstika and nāstika|Naastika]]," Fazl refers to the Charvaka law-makers emphasizing "good work, judicious administration, and welfare schemes." [[Somadeva]] also describes the Charvaka method of defeating the nation's enemies, referring to thirteen disguised enemies in the kingdom with selfish interests who should not be spared. [[Chanakya|Kautilya]] presents a detailed scheme to remove the enemies in the guise of friends. The Charvaka stalwart, Brihaspati, is more ancient than Kautilya and Somadeva. He appears to be contemporaneous with the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro cultures.

Archaeological evidence regarding kings, priests, and palaces in the Harappa and [[Mohenjo-daro|Mohenjo-Daro]] excavations is limited.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-09 |title=The lost city of Mohenjo Daro |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mohenjo-daro |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=History |language=en}}</ref> However, the presence of complex civilization and public facilities such as granaries and bathhouses, along with the existence of large cities,  indicates the likelihood of centralized governance. The uniformity in the artifacts and brick sizes suggests that there was some form of centralized governance. Although speculation regarding social hierarchies and class structures is plausible, the absence of discernible elite burial sites also suggests that most citizens were almost equal in status.