Which of the following thinkers emphasised the importance of community and decentralised governance in Indian Political Thought?

Correct option is B

The thinker who most prominently emphasized the importance of community and decentralized governance in Indian Political Thought is b). Mahatma Gandhi.

Information Booster :
Mahatma Gandhi’s political philosophy was centered on the concept of "Gram Swaraj" (Village Self-Rule). He believed that true independence (Swaraj) could not be achieved simply by a transfer of power at the top, but must begin from the bottom, with every village being a self-sustaining and self-governing republic.

Gram Swaraj: Gandhi argued that India’s soul lives in its villages. He envisioned a decentralized society where the village is the primary unit of administration, economy, and social life.

The Oceanic Circle: Instead of a hierarchical "pyramid" structure where power flows from the top (Center) to the bottom (Villages), Gandhi proposed the Oceanic Circle. In this model, the individual is at the center, surrounded by the village, then a circle of villages, and so on. No circle is superior to the other; they are all interdependent and mutually supportive.

Decentralization of Power: He advocated for the Panchayati Raj system long before it was given constitutional status. His goal was to minimize the coercive power of the state and maximize the participatory power of the community.

Additional Information :

1. B.R. Ambedkar: Ambedkar was famously skeptical of village-level decentralization during the drafting of the Constitution. He referred to villages as "a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow-mindedness, and communalism." He feared that decentralization without radical social reform would only empower dominant castes to further oppress Dalits. He preferred a strong centralized state to enforce uniform civil rights.

3. Kautilya: While the Arthashastra contains detailed instructions on local administration (village headmen, etc.), Kautilya’s overall vision was one of a highly centralized, bureaucratic monarchy focused on state security and expansion (Realpolitik).

4. Jawaharlal Nehru: Nehru favored a strong Central Government and centralized planning (the Planning Commission) to drive rapid industrialization and modernization. Although he later inaugurated the Three-tier Panchayati Raj in 1959, his primary approach remained state-led and top-down.