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Written in the 4th century before Christ by Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, The Arthashastra is one of the earliest works of political realism to have been written, along with Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Machiavelli's The Prince. It is considered as the most comprehensive treatise on statecraft of classical times. First ever book written on Practice of Management, this treatise is also about foreign policy, administration, economic reforms, policies and war.
Quote :
Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable. For punishment when awarded with due consideration, makes the people devoted to righteousness and to works productive of wealth and enjoyment; while punishment, when ill-awarded under the influence of greed and anger or owing to ignorance, excites fury even among hermits and ascetics dwelling in forests, not to speak of householders.
Written in the 4th century before Christ by Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, The Arthashastra is one of the earliest works of political realism to have been written, along with Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Machiavelli's The Prince. It is considered as the most comprehensive treatise on statecraft of classical times. First ever book written on Practice of Management, this treatise is also about foreign policy, administration, economic reforms, policies and war.
Quote :
Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable. For punishment when awarded with due consideration, makes the people devoted to righteousness and to works productive of wealth and enjoyment; while punishment, when ill-awarded under the influence of greed and anger or owing to ignorance, excites fury even among hermits and ascetics dwelling in forests, not to speak of householders.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 301
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About the author
Chanakya
34 books112 followers375 BC - 283 BC
Sometimes spelled Cāṇakya or Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta
Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. Many regard Chanakya as a great thinker and diplomat. Some Indian nationalists even argue that he is one of the earliest people to envisage an united India spanning the entire subcontinent. Originally a professor of economics and political science at the ancient university of Takshashila, Chanakya managed the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. Consequently, he is widely credited as being instrumental in establishing the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.
Two books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti. The Arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. The text also outlines the duties of a ruler. Chanakya Niti is a collection of aphorisms, said to be selected by Chanakya from the various shastras. Some consider these works as evidence that Chanakya pioneered the field of political science and economics in India, and that his work was an important precursor to classical economics. His writings were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire, then were rediscovered in 1915, and have since grown in popularity.
Sometimes spelled Cāṇakya or Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta
Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. Many regard Chanakya as a great thinker and diplomat. Some Indian nationalists even argue that he is one of the earliest people to envisage an united India spanning the entire subcontinent. Originally a professor of economics and political science at the ancient university of Takshashila, Chanakya managed the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. Consequently, he is widely credited as being instrumental in establishing the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.
Two books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti. The Arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. The text also outlines the duties of a ruler. Chanakya Niti is a collection of aphorisms, said to be selected by Chanakya from the various shastras. Some consider these works as evidence that Chanakya pioneered the field of political science and economics in India, and that his work was an important precursor to classical economics. His writings were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire, then were rediscovered in 1915, and have since grown in popularity.
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January 3, 2015
THE SCIENCE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
The Arthashastra is the most comprehensive treatise on statecraft of classical times, and perhaps of all time.
The Arthashastra is written mainly in prose but also incorporates 380 shlokas, which adds a vital poetic flourish to this otherwise down-to-earth classic. The text of this extraordinarily detailed manual contains fifteen books which cover numerous topics viz., the King; a complete code of law; foreign policy; secret services; civic responsibilities, and so on.
In trying to understand Kautilya's analysis, we have to keep in mind the fact that in the Kautilyan view, the king encapsulates all the constituents of a state, he has expounded the theory in terms of the king - any king. In other words, what Kautilya calls the 'interest of the king' would nowadays be termed 'National Interest'.
A Note About The Translation
This translation by Rangarajan is a good reference book if you are coming back to Arthashastra for reference, but not particularly good for a first reading. It is too well catalogued and too practical for that. The verses should be read in the order Kautilya arrayed than in this re-arranged fashion that helps to make much better sense of ti, but somehow takes away the spirit.
The translation also contains a useful Index of Verses (By Textual Order) — it is meant to assist in finding out in which Part and Section a particular verse of the text has been included.
The Branches Of Knowledge
Traditionally, in classical Indian texts, the four branches of knowledge are considered to be:
1) Philosophy,
2) The Three Vedas,
3) Economics, and
4) The Science of Government
Kautilya tells us that these are, indeed, the four fundamental branches of knowledge because one can know from these four branches of study all that is to be learnt about Dharma [spiritual welfare] and Artha [material well-being]. {1.2.8-9}
Artha, literally wealth, is thus one of four supreme aims prescribed by Classical Indian tradition. However, it has a much wider significance and the material well-being of individuals is just a part of it. The ‘Artha’ of Arthashastra is an all-embracing word with a variety of meanings. In accordance with this, Kautilya's Arthashastra maintains that the state or government of a country has a vital role to play in maintaining the material status of both the nation and its people.
The Arthashastra is thus 'the science of politics' with a significant part dedicated to the science of economics. It is the art of government in its widest sense — the maintenance of law and order as also of an efficient administrative machinery The subjects covered include: administration; law order and justice; taxation, revenue and expenditure; foreign policy; defense and war. Its three objectives follow one from the other: promotion of the welfare of the subjects leads to acquisition of wealth which, in turn, makes it possible to enlarge the territory by conquest.
The Instruction Manual
The Arthashastra is essentially a treatise on the art of government and is, by nature, instructional. It seeks to instruct all kings and is meant to be useful at all times wherever dharma is held to be preeminent. And because it is instructional, it is basis is the practice of government. The majority of the treatise is a Manual of Instruction for kings and officers of the state.
There are three distinct parts in this manual:
1. The Manual of Administration describes the organization of the apparatus of the state and prescribes the duties and responsibilities of every key official, either for maintaining order or for collecting revenue. There are, naturally, parts devoted to budgetary control, enforcement of civil service discipline and the public's civic responsibility.
2. The Code of Law and Justice covers both civil and criminal law and is, basically, a Penal Code; the extensive and graded penalties and fines prescribed in it have the twin aims of deterring transgressions and collecting revenue for the state.
3. The third part is a Manual of Foreign Policy , the primary aim of which is acquisition of territory by conquest.
These three manuals correspond to the three objectives of the state - wealth, justice and expansion — A stable and prosperous state, which only a just administration can secure, is a prerequisite for accumulation of wealth which is then used to augment the territory.
Justice —> Wealth —> Expansion —> More Wealth, and so on...
... as long as Justice is not compromised. Which is why the prime focus of The Arthashastra is good administration that ensures the perpetuation of justice and prosperity in the kingdom.
Against Reductionist Arguments
Before we move on, we should face the unfortunate fact that both Kautilya the author and his masterwork the Arthashastra are much misunderstood. Popularly known as Chanakya, he is maligned and often ridiculed as a teacher of unethical, not to say immoral, practices and as an advocate of the theory that 'the ends justify the means.' 'Chanakyan' has entered Indian vocabulary as the equivalent of 'Machiavellian'.
Most people know little of what Kautilya actually said in the Arthashastra. The only thing they can recall is the superficial aspects of the ‘mandala’ theory, based on the principles: 'Every neighboring state is an enemy and the enemy's enemy is a friend.' This is, no doubt, almost always valid. Nevertheless, to reduce Kautilya's theory on foreign policy to just these two observations is to do him a grave injustice. Indeed, the theory deals with not just three states, but with a twelve. Here is a sample of how much more nuanced that simple understanding could be, with a little effort:
This popular view is not only simplistic but untrue. A through reading of the treatise is required to appreciate the range and depth of the Arthashastra. It is a pioneering work on statecraft in all its aspects, written at least one thousand five hundred years ago.
Even the condemnation of Kautilya as an unethical teacher and the equivalence established with Machiavelli (itself based on gravely erroneous conception of that great master!) is based on ignorance of his work.
Kautilya’s is always a sane, moderate and balanced view. He placed great emphasis on the welfare of the people. His practical advice is rooted in dharma. But, as a teacher of practical statecraft, he advocated unethical methods in the furtherance of national interest, but always with very strict qualification. But these are often ignored or just plain unknown to the majority.
Just as Kautilya's important qualifications to his advocacy of unethical methods is often ignored, so is the voluminous evidence in the Arthashastra of his emphasis on welfare, not only of human beings but also of animals. Welfare in the Arthashastra is not just an abstract concept. It covers maintenance of social order, increasing economic activity, protection of livelihood, protection of the weaker sections of the population, prevention of harassment of the subjects, consumer protection and even welfare of slaves and prisoners.
In short, the Arthashastra is a mixture of both what we applaud today and what we consider to be reprehensible. Kautilya has a great deal to say about civic responsibility; the obligation of every householder to take precautions against fire is mentioned; so is a prohibition on cutting trees in public parks. Consumer protection and vigilance against exploitation of the people by government servants are aspects which we consider good. Equally, some of Kautilya's suggestions will be seen by us as unethical. What is essential is that we understand both aspects and use them to learn history as well as to apply to the modern situations.
The Kautilyan Conception of The State
Dr. Kangle, in his magisterial work on Kautilya, notes that 'the kind of state control over the economy Arthashastra presupposes is not possible without an efficient administration. We, therefore, find in it a description of an elaborate administrative machinery.'
A ruler's duties in the internal administration of the country are three-fold: raksha or protection of the state from external aggression, palana or maintenance of law and order within the state, and yogakshema or safeguarding the welfare of the people. These duties also meant that the King needed an elaborate support system.
The highly centralized Kautilyan state was to be regulated by an elaborate and intricate system as laid out by Kautilya. While at first glance we might think that this high centralization is repulsive, we should also appreciate the difficulties of the time. Most of the empires of the world relied on tight centralization to ensure some degree of success. Also, in Kautilya’s eyes, everything was in the service of one goal: Justice.
The extensive responsibilities of the state for promoting economic wellbeing and preserving law and order demand an equally extensive administrative machinery. Any text on Arthashastra thus has to contain details of the organization of the civil service as well as the duties and responsibilities of individual officials.
Thus we can see how The Arthashastra was bound to be an elaborate manual that dealt with every minute aspect of administration and daily life.
The Arthashastra is a through discussion on the science of living, along with being a valuable historical document on the conduct of administration. It is thus supremely valuable for the historian but also for a modern political scientist or sociologist or economist or administrator.
A Modern Kautilya
All this shows us how close to modern life and administration the Kautilyan ideas come. Reading ancient books is the best way to rid ourselves of modernist fantasies — except for communication and transport, in the basic institutions, we are still where we were. and it is these two things (advance in communication & transport) that has made our institutions slightly more efficient, but also a lot more complex and thus just as bad at dealing with real things, while giving the illusion of a lot of activity.
The same thing can be said of the role of technology in daily life as well. We can get more things done because we can, but precisely because we can, there are always more things to do.
The Red Queen’s laugh reverberates through our modern lives and modern states.
Reality And The Ideal
The picture of the ideal Kautilyan state that emerges from our discussion above is one of a well-run state, prosperous and bustling with activity. But if we are to comprehend clearly Kautilya's teachings and apply them judiciously to the modern world, we also have to be aware of the essential characteristics of the work. The treatise is about an ideal state - not that such a state actually ever existed or is even likely to exist now or in the future. To the extent any of the six constituent elements of a state - the ruler, the ministers, the urban and the rural population, the economic power and the military might - differ from the ideals Kautilya has set out, to that extent the advice given by him has to be modified.
I cannot imagine that much would change if a modern Kautilya were to write an Arthashastra today, except that he would have a broader, faster reach, and a better chance of enforcing things. But the basics of what he wants to do would not change much, nor would the how, only the means/instruments of effecting them would be easier., But unless those means are not available to the people, their range also increases, and hence real control would remain as difficult today as it was then.
The Illusion of Governance?
This realization should lead us to wonder why Kautilya attempted such an elaborately and minutely planned state architecture — we should consider the possibility that perhaps this level of intrusion into daily life was required, at least at the planning level, precisely because real control was so impossibly difficult? Maybe the Plan was needed for any semblance of governance? This reminds me strongly of Kafka’s Castle administration and their reliance on the awe of the villagers. Maybe the illusion of minute micro-managed and all-pervasive governance can cover up for the inability to really govern?
Isn’t it the same today?
The Best in the Market
We have seen that the Arthashastra is an exhaustive and detailed inventory of everything a state should do and everything every minor official should do. A more detailed secular constitution of governance and daily life cannot be imagined. With this legacy, it is no wonder that the much less ambitious Indian Constitution is still the longest in the world, the most detailed and most concerned with trying to micro manage the nuts and bolts of administration.
We have also seen how the problems that Kautilya tried to tackle are more or less the same as what modern states fail spectacularly at, even when aided by more gee-whiz technology. And this immutability of problems and of solutions is precisely why the level of detail that Kautilya goes into is still valuable for government officials, administrators and citizens.
A better guidebook has not hit the market yet.
July 11, 2019
Wonderful, viable and ever-relevant! You cannot subdue this treasure into oblivion any day!
December 19, 2013
This work is most commonly likened to Machiavelli, although it predates 'The Prince' by several centuries. With a similar attitude to statecraft to that of Machiavelli, this offers a far more comprehensive and detailed manual for realist power aggrandisment. It also differs from Machiavelli in its genuine concern for the welfare and economic prospects of domestic citizens, where Machiavelli dismisses such issues outright and instead advises that a king merely rule through fear. I would recommend this over Machiavelli as an introduction to classical realist thought, as it offers the more complete guide to how a ruler interested in power aggrandisement should govern both domestically and externally following realist principles.
May 9, 2021
1. My experience with the book
The Indian subcontinent is home to diverse people groups with traditions and culture stretching back to several centuries before the advent of Christ. It is rightly said that India is a continent masquerading as country. The name India itself is of Greek origin and historians such as VD Mahajan have remarked that although there has been a willingness to unite the country through force of arms, several reasons ensured that this was only achieved in the modern era through the entry of the British. Do keep in mind that several empires in the past have attained this feat, but none held the fruits of the labour long enough to leave the roots of a collective identity. The British provided their administrative structure and political philosophy which today constitutes the foundation of the Indian state. Native schools of thoughts were deemed to be rather primitive or not well developed and we were intended to be glad that we could be counted in the ranks of the civilized nations in the world. And while I do exaggerate a bit, this was at least how history was taught to me as an aspiring student.
And now that I started off in a tangent, let me bring the focus back to why I’m on this book today. The Arthashastra was a text that I was aware of in the early 2000s, finding it in my Uncle’s library. As a teenager though, I was interested in history, but most of my interest was directed towards Europe as it was seen as more interesting and complex. This Indian text was not seen to be as sophisticated enough and I let it slip off my mind to focus on other ‘interesting’ subjects in history.
Come 2015, and I was once again confronted with the text, through my aspirations to be a diplomat. It was here that I came to appreciate the sheer complexity of Indian history and if time permitting seek to advance my knowledge further. It was through the preparations of being a diplomat that I once again came across the book. Having read certain sections of it, I was blown away by the sheer brilliance of the author, Chanakya and made it a personal goal of mine to read the work in its entirety when given the right opportunity. This happened over a span of two months from March 2021 to May 2021. With that long personal story out of the way, let’s dive into the book itself!
2. The mind
The Arthashastra is attributed to Chanakya, a historical figure living in the 4th century BC. He is often compared to Machiavelli on account of his ruthless pragmatism and allegedly unscrupulous conduct especially when it comes to the domain of foreign affairs. This, however is a rather narrow view of the man and doesn’t do justice to his achievements.
Chanakya is believed to have been the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan empire and Asoka’s grandfather. And while there is a degree of uncertainty over the authorship of the work by him, as a range of dates have been proposed for the compilation of the work, there is no doubt that he significantly contributed to portions of the work. It should come as no surprise then that the Mauryan empire became the first power to unite a significant portion of the subcontinent and remains the largest native empire of hold sway over it. And all of this expansion, administration and foreign policy was the fruit of one man.
3. The book
Arthashastra is a book which literally translates to the art of money or science of economics. The book covers the requirements that need to be satisfied to ensure the continuous prosperity and growth of a kingdom. It does so by doubling as a philosophical work and an administrative manual. Chanakya handles several subjects with deftness, juggling topics as complicated as governance, espionage, treasury, law & order foreign policy to the mundane, such as methods for brewing alcoholic beverages, inheritance laws and weights & measures. The book further delves into the qualities required for several key positions in the cabinet of the King, spending pages to ensure that they are loyal and capable of serving their people and kingdom.
And all of this is done keeping the King at the centre of these subjects, since his ultimate objective through providing his knowledge is to ensure that a King becomes the Samrat Chakravartin, ie the ruler of the world. All who follow what is laid in this book along with the principles of Dharma will not need to fear the outcome of any war.
The book was written at a time when the Magadha state was on the ascendence in Northern India. It is thus written with such a scenario in mind wherein the new power is on the rise and should therefore follow these principles to ensure its dominance on the world stage. It also covers the same subject matter from different perspectives, such as a weak king or an oligarchy, showing its universality.
The translation of Rangarajan is well structured and flows in a much more logical way, aiming to bring it to a modern audience, even if it is ultimately different from the original text. The lack of Sanskrit Shlokas and verses was a bit unfortunate, but doesn’t take away from the book itself.
4. My thoughts
To put it simply, I was overwhelmed. The sheer amount of wisdom and knowledge in the book coming from one man is quite astonishing. The fact that the book goes beyond usually philosophical texts and lists way to put those ideas in practice was something new for me. Often philosophers tend to speak in nebulous concepts leading to the scenarios where we have numerous interpretations of the same text. This however was not the case with this work.
Chanakya not only provides methods to implement his ideas, which itself were derived from earlier thinkers, but also provides ways to counter them and also counter these counters! His meticulousness when it comes to creating a schedule for the king, developing a penal code for punishments is simply and elaborating on both a local as well as central governments is mindboggling.
But he not only provides his own opinions, but also compares ideas from different schools. While it might seem that he did this with the intention of putting them down in order to prop his ideas forward, he instead analyses them carefully, agreeing or disagreeing with them based on the subject dealt. His strategic sense was a thing of beauty, wherein he listed several techniques to ensure the dominance of one King over the entire world. The people will be content and hardworking contributing to the stability and continuity of the kingdom.
Chanakya’s envisaged world however is not completely blissful. On the one hand, we have a sagacious and kind teacher espousing the need for the king to look after his citizens like his own children. But on the other hand, we have a ruthless and pragmatic individual who also preaches the need for extensive espionage operations over one’s own to ensure there is no plot against the king.
The world of Chanakya was also the world of the caste system and therefore grossly unequal, wherein the lower castes were to work under the dominance of higher castes and not go against them. This is best reflected in the disproportionate punishment system. For the same crime, members of the lower caste most certainly were the worst of the lot, often losing limbs where the higher castes had monetary fines. Ministers of the King and other higher officials were often tested for signs of disloyalty. All of this gives a sense of a police state where freedom of expression is allowed as long as it didn’t go against the establishment.
Since the ultimate objective of the book is for the King to conquer the world, his foreign policy envisages a state of perpetual warfare, wherein the king in question is to prepare for war of conquests whenever opportune moments arise. And while he does provide with ways to pacify and govern new conquests, it should therefore come as no surprise that the Mauryans collapsed as rapidly as they rose. The book, or at least the version I read does not provide too many details on how communication and transportation between two regions would occur, leading to cases of administrative inefficiency.
Lastly, how much of this would have been put into practice is not exactly known. The work creates an illusion of bureaucratic efficiency which might have not really been the case. The sheer size of it would have intimidated and awed the average individual into submission and funnily enough can be seen to have continued to this day, in the Indian constitution.
5. Closing thoughts
I can say with confidence that The Arthashastra is one of the finest texts on statecraft in the history of man. The range of subjects covered along with its comprehensiveness is quite simply unparalled and it’s a darn shame that very few know of it and even fewer read it. It’s equally unfortunate that we aren’t taught of this work in schools, but it is what it is. I personally am glad to have finally completed it and am as eager as I was back in 2015, to further my knowledge and understanding of Ancient Indian texts and history.
It's quite humbling to write my thoughts on this book and I think I still haven't done a good job in expressing my thoughts on the book. I will therefore be writing a more comprehensive analysis on the work, provided I have time. Do let me know if you are interested, since I will mostly be mailing the word file directly :D
The Indian subcontinent is home to diverse people groups with traditions and culture stretching back to several centuries before the advent of Christ. It is rightly said that India is a continent masquerading as country. The name India itself is of Greek origin and historians such as VD Mahajan have remarked that although there has been a willingness to unite the country through force of arms, several reasons ensured that this was only achieved in the modern era through the entry of the British. Do keep in mind that several empires in the past have attained this feat, but none held the fruits of the labour long enough to leave the roots of a collective identity. The British provided their administrative structure and political philosophy which today constitutes the foundation of the Indian state. Native schools of thoughts were deemed to be rather primitive or not well developed and we were intended to be glad that we could be counted in the ranks of the civilized nations in the world. And while I do exaggerate a bit, this was at least how history was taught to me as an aspiring student.
And now that I started off in a tangent, let me bring the focus back to why I’m on this book today. The Arthashastra was a text that I was aware of in the early 2000s, finding it in my Uncle’s library. As a teenager though, I was interested in history, but most of my interest was directed towards Europe as it was seen as more interesting and complex. This Indian text was not seen to be as sophisticated enough and I let it slip off my mind to focus on other ‘interesting’ subjects in history.
Come 2015, and I was once again confronted with the text, through my aspirations to be a diplomat. It was here that I came to appreciate the sheer complexity of Indian history and if time permitting seek to advance my knowledge further. It was through the preparations of being a diplomat that I once again came across the book. Having read certain sections of it, I was blown away by the sheer brilliance of the author, Chanakya and made it a personal goal of mine to read the work in its entirety when given the right opportunity. This happened over a span of two months from March 2021 to May 2021. With that long personal story out of the way, let’s dive into the book itself!
2. The mind
The Arthashastra is attributed to Chanakya, a historical figure living in the 4th century BC. He is often compared to Machiavelli on account of his ruthless pragmatism and allegedly unscrupulous conduct especially when it comes to the domain of foreign affairs. This, however is a rather narrow view of the man and doesn’t do justice to his achievements.
Chanakya is believed to have been the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan empire and Asoka’s grandfather. And while there is a degree of uncertainty over the authorship of the work by him, as a range of dates have been proposed for the compilation of the work, there is no doubt that he significantly contributed to portions of the work. It should come as no surprise then that the Mauryan empire became the first power to unite a significant portion of the subcontinent and remains the largest native empire of hold sway over it. And all of this expansion, administration and foreign policy was the fruit of one man.
3. The book
Arthashastra is a book which literally translates to the art of money or science of economics. The book covers the requirements that need to be satisfied to ensure the continuous prosperity and growth of a kingdom. It does so by doubling as a philosophical work and an administrative manual. Chanakya handles several subjects with deftness, juggling topics as complicated as governance, espionage, treasury, law & order foreign policy to the mundane, such as methods for brewing alcoholic beverages, inheritance laws and weights & measures. The book further delves into the qualities required for several key positions in the cabinet of the King, spending pages to ensure that they are loyal and capable of serving their people and kingdom.
And all of this is done keeping the King at the centre of these subjects, since his ultimate objective through providing his knowledge is to ensure that a King becomes the Samrat Chakravartin, ie the ruler of the world. All who follow what is laid in this book along with the principles of Dharma will not need to fear the outcome of any war.
The book was written at a time when the Magadha state was on the ascendence in Northern India. It is thus written with such a scenario in mind wherein the new power is on the rise and should therefore follow these principles to ensure its dominance on the world stage. It also covers the same subject matter from different perspectives, such as a weak king or an oligarchy, showing its universality.
The translation of Rangarajan is well structured and flows in a much more logical way, aiming to bring it to a modern audience, even if it is ultimately different from the original text. The lack of Sanskrit Shlokas and verses was a bit unfortunate, but doesn’t take away from the book itself.
4. My thoughts
To put it simply, I was overwhelmed. The sheer amount of wisdom and knowledge in the book coming from one man is quite astonishing. The fact that the book goes beyond usually philosophical texts and lists way to put those ideas in practice was something new for me. Often philosophers tend to speak in nebulous concepts leading to the scenarios where we have numerous interpretations of the same text. This however was not the case with this work.
Chanakya not only provides methods to implement his ideas, which itself were derived from earlier thinkers, but also provides ways to counter them and also counter these counters! His meticulousness when it comes to creating a schedule for the king, developing a penal code for punishments is simply and elaborating on both a local as well as central governments is mindboggling.
But he not only provides his own opinions, but also compares ideas from different schools. While it might seem that he did this with the intention of putting them down in order to prop his ideas forward, he instead analyses them carefully, agreeing or disagreeing with them based on the subject dealt. His strategic sense was a thing of beauty, wherein he listed several techniques to ensure the dominance of one King over the entire world. The people will be content and hardworking contributing to the stability and continuity of the kingdom.
Chanakya’s envisaged world however is not completely blissful. On the one hand, we have a sagacious and kind teacher espousing the need for the king to look after his citizens like his own children. But on the other hand, we have a ruthless and pragmatic individual who also preaches the need for extensive espionage operations over one’s own to ensure there is no plot against the king.
The world of Chanakya was also the world of the caste system and therefore grossly unequal, wherein the lower castes were to work under the dominance of higher castes and not go against them. This is best reflected in the disproportionate punishment system. For the same crime, members of the lower caste most certainly were the worst of the lot, often losing limbs where the higher castes had monetary fines. Ministers of the King and other higher officials were often tested for signs of disloyalty. All of this gives a sense of a police state where freedom of expression is allowed as long as it didn’t go against the establishment.
Since the ultimate objective of the book is for the King to conquer the world, his foreign policy envisages a state of perpetual warfare, wherein the king in question is to prepare for war of conquests whenever opportune moments arise. And while he does provide with ways to pacify and govern new conquests, it should therefore come as no surprise that the Mauryans collapsed as rapidly as they rose. The book, or at least the version I read does not provide too many details on how communication and transportation between two regions would occur, leading to cases of administrative inefficiency.
Lastly, how much of this would have been put into practice is not exactly known. The work creates an illusion of bureaucratic efficiency which might have not really been the case. The sheer size of it would have intimidated and awed the average individual into submission and funnily enough can be seen to have continued to this day, in the Indian constitution.
5. Closing thoughts
I can say with confidence that The Arthashastra is one of the finest texts on statecraft in the history of man. The range of subjects covered along with its comprehensiveness is quite simply unparalled and it’s a darn shame that very few know of it and even fewer read it. It’s equally unfortunate that we aren’t taught of this work in schools, but it is what it is. I personally am glad to have finally completed it and am as eager as I was back in 2015, to further my knowledge and understanding of Ancient Indian texts and history.
It's quite humbling to write my thoughts on this book and I think I still haven't done a good job in expressing my thoughts on the book. I will therefore be writing a more comprehensive analysis on the work, provided I have time. Do let me know if you are interested, since I will mostly be mailing the word file directly :D
March 10, 2024
'Now Joe, you've spent so much time being devious that you done got yourself caught up in your own Web' - Omar, The Wire.
This book is absolutely peak 'master morality'. It is full to the brim of plots, schemes, ruses, deception and deceit. It's extremely in depth and complicated for a book written in the BC era and It really does make me consider how conniving and manipulative a ruler has/had to be to stay on the throne.
It bears some resemblance to 'The Prince' and the 'The Art of War'. But has some more Indian/Hindu characteristics such as the inclusion of the caste system etc.
I don't know why I found this book interesting in the first place as I can't apply it in real life (I'm not going to catapult snakes into my wife's side of room next time we have an argument, or conspire with the basement floor neighbours to get rid of our first floor neighbours). I think we kept me intrigued was trying to understand the mindset of a ruler and I must say, that Machiavelli's famous quote: A good person, someone who is “merciful, faithful, kind, religious, upright”, cannot be a good ruler rings true to some degree if we are to assume rulers behave as this book proscribes
This book is absolutely peak 'master morality'. It is full to the brim of plots, schemes, ruses, deception and deceit. It's extremely in depth and complicated for a book written in the BC era and It really does make me consider how conniving and manipulative a ruler has/had to be to stay on the throne.
It bears some resemblance to 'The Prince' and the 'The Art of War'. But has some more Indian/Hindu characteristics such as the inclusion of the caste system etc.
I don't know why I found this book interesting in the first place as I can't apply it in real life (I'm not going to catapult snakes into my wife's side of room next time we have an argument, or conspire with the basement floor neighbours to get rid of our first floor neighbours). I think we kept me intrigued was trying to understand the mindset of a ruler and I must say, that Machiavelli's famous quote: A good person, someone who is “merciful, faithful, kind, religious, upright”, cannot be a good ruler rings true to some degree if we are to assume rulers behave as this book proscribes
August 9, 2020
To be honest. This book took me more than 2 months.
Loved it. Took my time to understand what has been written.
Brilliant book, i must say.
Loved it. Took my time to understand what has been written.
Brilliant book, i must say.
August 1, 2018
A fascinating read. The Arthashastra is one of the earliest works of political realism to have been written, along with Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War and is perhaps the most elaborate of these. Elaborate is an apt description, given that the treatise describes all sorts of weird and wonderful ways in which seditious ministers can be identified, and enemies can be toppled and weakened. Many of these involve some quite inventive uses of spies.
For Kautilya, "the king, the minister, the country, the fort, the treasury, the army and the friend are the elements of sovereignty.” Sovereign states are, in turn, self-interested actors that will invariably act to increase their relative standing: “the possession of power and happiness in a greater degree makes a king superior to another; in a lesser degree, inferior; and in an equal degree, equal. Hence a king shall always endeavor to augment his own power and elevate his happiness." (cf. Mearsheimer's 'offensive realism').
Who are the "friends" that Kautilya writes of? As it happens, the concept "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" originated in The Arthashastra:
It is important to note here that Kautilya was describing a 'pre-Westphalian' state of affairs in India circa 300 BC. However, the complex web of alliances described by Kautilya in this Circle of States/Kings (rajamandala) might be said to be rather applicable to contemporary Middle Eastern geopolitics! (Though, given the United States' support for militant groups in nearby Afghanistan, the logic of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" doesn't always work out so well.)
Some also see elements of Kautilyan political strategy being deployed by the Republic of India even today; friendships with Afghanistan and Japan are cultivated, as they are seen as allies against Pakistan and China respectively. In other domains, India maintains its famed stance of 'non-alignment', in keeping with Kautilya's advocacy of "neutrality" in certain circumstances. Meanwhile, Kautilya does not advocate for the Mauryan Empire of which he was part to expand out of South Asia. Again, this is in keeping with an India which has rarely expanded beyond its frontiers (excepting the Cholas' expansion into an already Indianized Southeast Asia in the 11th Century AD).
Morality does not really enter into the equation in The Arthashastra, except in some rare instances, demonstrating that the preservation of the State is not an end in itself. As Kautilya writes: "in the happiness of his [the King's] subjects lies his happiness; in their welfare his welfare; whatever pleases himself he shall not consider as good, but whatever pleases his subjects he shall consider as good." All the more reason, then, for the King to carry out the business of the state, "as the root of wealth is activity, and of evil its reverse.” At the end of the day , says Kautilya, "wealth and wealth alone is important, inasmuch as charity and desire depend upon wealth for their realisation.”
Though, just as Kautilya recommends fair and just treatment of conquered peoples not so much out of concern for their welfare, an ulterior motive may exist when it comes to concern for the welfare of the people of the kingdom, for "the king who is well educated and disciplined in sciences, devoted to good Government of his subjects, and bent on doing good to all people will enjoy the earth unopposed." [My italics]
Ultimately, the primary justification given for a strong kingdom - and the actions necessary to preserve and expand it - may stem from an ancient Indian proverb: matsya nyaya ("the law of the fishes", in which the big eat the small). "In the absence of governance, the strong will swallow the weak. In the presence of governance, the weak resists the strong.” As Thomas Hobbes would essentially argue two millennia later, Kautilya writes that "without government, rises disorder".
For Kautilya, "the king, the minister, the country, the fort, the treasury, the army and the friend are the elements of sovereignty.” Sovereign states are, in turn, self-interested actors that will invariably act to increase their relative standing: “the possession of power and happiness in a greater degree makes a king superior to another; in a lesser degree, inferior; and in an equal degree, equal. Hence a king shall always endeavor to augment his own power and elevate his happiness." (cf. Mearsheimer's 'offensive realism').
Who are the "friends" that Kautilya writes of? As it happens, the concept "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" originated in The Arthashastra:
The king who, being possessed of good character and best-fitted elements of sovereignty, is the fountain of policy, is termed the conqueror. The king who is situated anywhere immediately on the circumference of the conqueror's territory is termed the enemy. The king who is likewise situated close to the enemy, but separated from the conqueror only by the enemy, is termed the friend (of the conqueror)… In front of the conqueror and close to his enemy, there happen to be situated kings such as the conqueror's friend, next to him, the enemy's friend, and next to the last, the conqueror's friend's friend, and next, the enemy's friend's friend.
It is important to note here that Kautilya was describing a 'pre-Westphalian' state of affairs in India circa 300 BC. However, the complex web of alliances described by Kautilya in this Circle of States/Kings (rajamandala) might be said to be rather applicable to contemporary Middle Eastern geopolitics! (Though, given the United States' support for militant groups in nearby Afghanistan, the logic of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" doesn't always work out so well.)
Some also see elements of Kautilyan political strategy being deployed by the Republic of India even today; friendships with Afghanistan and Japan are cultivated, as they are seen as allies against Pakistan and China respectively. In other domains, India maintains its famed stance of 'non-alignment', in keeping with Kautilya's advocacy of "neutrality" in certain circumstances. Meanwhile, Kautilya does not advocate for the Mauryan Empire of which he was part to expand out of South Asia. Again, this is in keeping with an India which has rarely expanded beyond its frontiers (excepting the Cholas' expansion into an already Indianized Southeast Asia in the 11th Century AD).
Morality does not really enter into the equation in The Arthashastra, except in some rare instances, demonstrating that the preservation of the State is not an end in itself. As Kautilya writes: "in the happiness of his [the King's] subjects lies his happiness; in their welfare his welfare; whatever pleases himself he shall not consider as good, but whatever pleases his subjects he shall consider as good." All the more reason, then, for the King to carry out the business of the state, "as the root of wealth is activity, and of evil its reverse.” At the end of the day , says Kautilya, "wealth and wealth alone is important, inasmuch as charity and desire depend upon wealth for their realisation.”
Though, just as Kautilya recommends fair and just treatment of conquered peoples not so much out of concern for their welfare, an ulterior motive may exist when it comes to concern for the welfare of the people of the kingdom, for "the king who is well educated and disciplined in sciences, devoted to good Government of his subjects, and bent on doing good to all people will enjoy the earth unopposed." [My italics]
Ultimately, the primary justification given for a strong kingdom - and the actions necessary to preserve and expand it - may stem from an ancient Indian proverb: matsya nyaya ("the law of the fishes", in which the big eat the small). "In the absence of governance, the strong will swallow the weak. In the presence of governance, the weak resists the strong.” As Thomas Hobbes would essentially argue two millennia later, Kautilya writes that "without government, rises disorder".
June 6, 2015
Arthashastra - a book that I had wanted to read ever since I read 'The Art of War' and learnt this to be a similar treatise but on political details. Gifted to me by a friend during September '10, it has taken me almost 5 years to finish reading this book.
A worthy reference material for anyone who wants to have a glimpse into how things were in the past. An exhaustive treatise of politics, diplomacy and war, this proves that the past was neither golden as we think with an assumed nostalgia, neither were the people so backward in science and technology as we perceive them to be.
Past is a mixed bag. Ideal laws, contradictory realities, preferential and protective treatment for the upper-castes, Brahmins especially, looking down upon women on every areas, government running brothels and liquor shops, kings striving to be just and ethical, cruel methods to get rid of one's enemies, pleasant ways to rule one's subjects - you will get to learn in all in this book.
Read it if you want to peek into the past through the eyes and ideals of Kautilya!
A worthy reference material for anyone who wants to have a glimpse into how things were in the past. An exhaustive treatise of politics, diplomacy and war, this proves that the past was neither golden as we think with an assumed nostalgia, neither were the people so backward in science and technology as we perceive them to be.
Past is a mixed bag. Ideal laws, contradictory realities, preferential and protective treatment for the upper-castes, Brahmins especially, looking down upon women on every areas, government running brothels and liquor shops, kings striving to be just and ethical, cruel methods to get rid of one's enemies, pleasant ways to rule one's subjects - you will get to learn in all in this book.
Read it if you want to peek into the past through the eyes and ideals of Kautilya!
January 5, 2015
This book is bible/Quran/Geeta of diplomacy. what chanaya had written 2000 years ago in this script is absolutely relevant today in every aspect of administration.
His thoughts about foreign policy,administration,economic reforms and policies are completely well articulated and relevant even today.
Indians dont need to look at any kisinger or western thinker like aristotal or Socrates about guidelines of polity.
His thoughts about foreign policy,administration,economic reforms and policies are completely well articulated and relevant even today.
Indians dont need to look at any kisinger or western thinker like aristotal or Socrates about guidelines of polity.
May 8, 2014
Exhaustive and exhausting.
If only we had someone like Chanakya/Kautilya in charge of Indian Economy now!
If only we had someone like Chanakya/Kautilya in charge of Indian Economy now!
October 20, 2021
Decent translation. Dense reading though that took me a like three months to get through.
September 16, 2022
As good as an encyclopedia on life in Bharat, 300 BCE!
This work is a compendium of knowledge on statecraft, that is collated and presented as a complete manual by the wily Vishnugupta/Chanakya/Kautilya – king maker and co-founder of the Maurya dynasty in Pataliputra (modern day Patna).
Meant as a manual to enable a ruler to administer his territory effectively and to expand his dominions; the treatise is divided into 15 books/sections that deal with topics like the training of princes, the activities of various state departments (which give a good account of internal administration), the duties of Judges (detailed account of the law at the time), measures of foreign policy and the conduct of war.
It provides absolutely fascinating details on the life of the period - we learn about state controlled drinking houses, the many different kinds of necklaces and clothes in fashion, the use of passports to enter a city, the rules for river crossings and the use of ferries, the treatment and care to be given to elephants and horses in the royal stables, how the spy network operated in the countryside as well as the city, the penalties for those who cheated a courtesan, the female bodyguards that surrounded the King, how to test and identify traitors, the principles to be adhered to while building a house or a fort, the rights of husband and wife in a marriage, the essential qualities and behaviour in a courtier, and so on.
The measures of foreign policy are clearly outlined and techniques to deal with allies, tackle enemy states and autocracies, nurture relations with neutral kingdoms are all elaborated upon. These principles are relevant to this day.
It's remarkable how similar this ancient society was to our own, in many ways. It was also, much more advanced than we give it credit for.
Overall, the Arthashastra is without doubt, an essential part of the home library of any Indian. A related book that predates even the Arthashastra is Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, considered the foundational text on Sanskrit grammar. V. S. Agrawala has critically examined the different expressions and terms in the Ashtadhyayi and written a commentary on it called ‘India as Known to Panini’; which again paints an enthralling picture of life circa 6th century BCE. Both books are absolute must-reads for anyone even remotely interested in World or Indian history.
This work is a compendium of knowledge on statecraft, that is collated and presented as a complete manual by the wily Vishnugupta/Chanakya/Kautilya – king maker and co-founder of the Maurya dynasty in Pataliputra (modern day Patna).
Meant as a manual to enable a ruler to administer his territory effectively and to expand his dominions; the treatise is divided into 15 books/sections that deal with topics like the training of princes, the activities of various state departments (which give a good account of internal administration), the duties of Judges (detailed account of the law at the time), measures of foreign policy and the conduct of war.
It provides absolutely fascinating details on the life of the period - we learn about state controlled drinking houses, the many different kinds of necklaces and clothes in fashion, the use of passports to enter a city, the rules for river crossings and the use of ferries, the treatment and care to be given to elephants and horses in the royal stables, how the spy network operated in the countryside as well as the city, the penalties for those who cheated a courtesan, the female bodyguards that surrounded the King, how to test and identify traitors, the principles to be adhered to while building a house or a fort, the rights of husband and wife in a marriage, the essential qualities and behaviour in a courtier, and so on.
The measures of foreign policy are clearly outlined and techniques to deal with allies, tackle enemy states and autocracies, nurture relations with neutral kingdoms are all elaborated upon. These principles are relevant to this day.
It's remarkable how similar this ancient society was to our own, in many ways. It was also, much more advanced than we give it credit for.
Overall, the Arthashastra is without doubt, an essential part of the home library of any Indian. A related book that predates even the Arthashastra is Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, considered the foundational text on Sanskrit grammar. V. S. Agrawala has critically examined the different expressions and terms in the Ashtadhyayi and written a commentary on it called ‘India as Known to Panini’; which again paints an enthralling picture of life circa 6th century BCE. Both books are absolute must-reads for anyone even remotely interested in World or Indian history.
March 27, 2016
Other than providing a perspective on governing a petty kingdom in the Subcontinent between 200 BC and 200 AD, there is hardly anything worthwhile to say about this book. Kautilya has recently been promoted to a semi-Machiavellian status. This is undeserved. Some of his advise is laughable: Making seige of a city? How do you assure its fall? Why, simply infiltrate your troops with the defenders!
I guess Kautilya's novelty will wear off and he will be relegated to the dustbin of history.
I only wish I had the time back that I had wasted reading him.
I guess Kautilya's novelty will wear off and he will be relegated to the dustbin of history.
I only wish I had the time back that I had wasted reading him.
December 4, 2024
What stands out about the Arthashastra is its remarkable depth and practicality. Kautilya’s approach is both realistic and pragmatic, offering clear advice on how rulers should manage state affairs and the complexities of governance. His understanding of human nature, politics, and power dynamics is astonishingly modern, and his ideas about leadership, espionage, and economic management are as sharp and insightful as any political treatise written in the modern era.
One of the most compelling aspects of the Arthashastra is Kautilya's unflinching honesty and strategic foresight. He recognizes that rulers must sometimes make difficult, morally ambiguous decisions in the pursuit of power and stability. His practical, no-nonsense approach is at odds with idealistic notions of governance, offering a grounded view that places the welfare of the state above all else.
The Arthashastra also stands out for its comprehensive treatment of governance. It doesn’t merely focus on the political sphere but extends to economics, law, society, and military affairs. This holistic perspective makes it an indispensable guide for anyone interested in the workings of power and governance, offering valuable lessons for rulers, leaders, and even modern-day policymakers.
Additionally, reading the Arthashastra offers valuable insights into the India of Kautilya's time, shedding light on the social and political dynamics of ancient India. It provides historical context to the way kingdoms were governed, the challenges rulers faced, and the intricate balance of diplomacy and military power. For anyone looking to understand not just political philosophy but also the social and economic history of India during the Maurya period, the Arthashastra offers both a guide to governance and a window into the world of ancient India.
One of the most compelling aspects of the Arthashastra is Kautilya's unflinching honesty and strategic foresight. He recognizes that rulers must sometimes make difficult, morally ambiguous decisions in the pursuit of power and stability. His practical, no-nonsense approach is at odds with idealistic notions of governance, offering a grounded view that places the welfare of the state above all else.
The Arthashastra also stands out for its comprehensive treatment of governance. It doesn’t merely focus on the political sphere but extends to economics, law, society, and military affairs. This holistic perspective makes it an indispensable guide for anyone interested in the workings of power and governance, offering valuable lessons for rulers, leaders, and even modern-day policymakers.
Additionally, reading the Arthashastra offers valuable insights into the India of Kautilya's time, shedding light on the social and political dynamics of ancient India. It provides historical context to the way kingdoms were governed, the challenges rulers faced, and the intricate balance of diplomacy and military power. For anyone looking to understand not just political philosophy but also the social and economic history of India during the Maurya period, the Arthashastra offers both a guide to governance and a window into the world of ancient India.
May 8, 2021
It took me more than 2 years to finish this book. This is because it is not just a book but rather it is an encyclopedia. It is an encyclopedia of politics, statecraft, foreign policy, diplomacy, economics, administration, defence, spycraft, war, among several other things. It is astonishing that this book, written thousands of years ago still remains vastly relevant even to this day. Although many translations have come into existence ever since the Rudrapatna Shamasastry discovered this long-lost manuscript in Mysore, what differentiates this version is that it is written by a former IFS Officer.
The author LN Rangarajan served as India's ambassador to Greece, Sudan, Tunisia, Norway, and Iceland. Written by a former diplomat, it is not merely a translation but rather Ambassador Rangarajan has rearranged the verses and made it easier for the reader to follow. Many IFS officers like Shyam Saran, Shivshankar Menon, Arvind Gupta, and army officers have stressed on including the study of the Arthashastra as a part of officers' training on statecraft, foreign policy, etc.
It is sad that as a result of our colonial past, many of the early practitioners of foreign policy hadn't been exposed to the Arthashastra . Interestingly, in Pakistan though, many officers were taught this masterpiece. One of the tragedies of the 1962 Indo-China war was that most of our policy makers had forgotten Kautilya and his Arthashastra whereas the Chinese led by their Supreme Leader Mao Zedong kept Sun Tzu and his Art of War in mind at every step. Many things have changed since 1962 and we are in a better situation than before although China has raced ahead of us and there is a big gap between us. In this scenario, it becomes critical to include the Arthashastra as a part of training on the topics that I have mentioned earlier.
The author LN Rangarajan served as India's ambassador to Greece, Sudan, Tunisia, Norway, and Iceland. Written by a former diplomat, it is not merely a translation but rather Ambassador Rangarajan has rearranged the verses and made it easier for the reader to follow. Many IFS officers like Shyam Saran, Shivshankar Menon, Arvind Gupta, and army officers have stressed on including the study of the Arthashastra as a part of officers' training on statecraft, foreign policy, etc.
It is sad that as a result of our colonial past, many of the early practitioners of foreign policy hadn't been exposed to the Arthashastra . Interestingly, in Pakistan though, many officers were taught this masterpiece. One of the tragedies of the 1962 Indo-China war was that most of our policy makers had forgotten Kautilya and his Arthashastra whereas the Chinese led by their Supreme Leader Mao Zedong kept Sun Tzu and his Art of War in mind at every step. Many things have changed since 1962 and we are in a better situation than before although China has raced ahead of us and there is a big gap between us. In this scenario, it becomes critical to include the Arthashastra as a part of training on the topics that I have mentioned earlier.
Want to read
June 14, 2011- 061411 Kautilya's Arthashastra ebook http://bit.ly/joVEtJ
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August 21, 2012
Don't think I'd do justice by reviewing it. Think would recommend it to read for yourself.
April 19, 2020
Two ends, common but critical, determine the course of the Arthashastra: an obsession with the promotion of national interest and the wellbeing of the Janapada (population).
The Arthashastra is beyond doubt one of the most important works written on statecraft. It is notable that a text of such profound depth was lost to India since the 12th century AD and was serendipitously discovered and revealed to the world by R. Shamasastry in 1904. Subsequently the work of scholars like Dr. R. P. Kangle has greatly enhanced our understanding of the masterful work comprising 4968 sutras and 380 shlokas.
The version under focus is the one translated by Mr. L.N. Rangarajan an IFS officer of the 1956 batch. This translation has broken new ground in making the classic accessible to first time readers. The key interventions that Rangarajan has made include a reordering of the text to group relevant material under appropriate heads. He has also erred on the side of comprehensibility over literary exactness.
The Arthashastra derives its relevance from two key features of the text. The first one is explicit, i.e. the prescriptive or theoretical value of the work. The second is implicit, although Kautilya has gone to great lengths in avoiding any mention of contemporary kings or historical incidents to preserve the timelessness of the work nevertheless his prescriptions do paint a picture however incomplete of the times he lived in.
At a theoretical level the key achievements of the Arthashastra lie in its analysis of Foreign Policy, Statecraft and Economics. The importance of foreign policy for the Kautilyan state is very pithily stated in verse [6.2.1] where he says, “The welfare of a state depends on an active foreign policy” (Rangarajan 1992, p. 505) Foreign policy analysts have often reduced Kautilya’s ideas on foreign policy to the catchy maxim- “A neighbour is always an enemy and an enemy’s enemy is a friend”. Notwithstanding the fact that a sizeable portion of Kautilyan ideas on foreign policy are based on geographical determinism, there is much more to his ideas than just mechanistic geopolitics. What makes Arthashastra’s ideas on foreign policy unique is its anticipation of mainstream realist concepts like relative power, balance of power ,pivotal deterrence, psychological warfare (mantrayuddha) and the anarchic international system (rajamandala) by at least 2 millennia.
Kautilya’s treatment of economics is mostly action oriented. He deals with economic administration extensively however his work on economic theory cannot be clubbed with the physiocrats of 18th century or the much more profound Adam Smith. Kautilya lays great stress on the economic basis of state capacity [2.12.37]. He was perhaps the first thinker to have recognised international trade as a means to enhancing welfare of the general population, Kautilya also hints towards concepts such as comparative advantage, efficiency wages and the role of imports as a way to enhance consumer surplus. However without a mathematical exposition Kautilya’s work on economics cannot be treated as a part of modern economic theory. The truly revolutionary thought in Kautilya’s writings on economics is his acknowledgement of services and manufacturing as greater means to aggregate wealth than agriculture. Kautilya can also be considered a proto theorist of rational choice because of his belief in cold calculated logic. His advice on handling famines is strikingly similar to the ones advocated by Amartya Sen. In fact an emphasis on materialism is where Kautilya departs from the Dharmashastra which incidentally is the pedestal (in terms of social acceptance) Kautilya aspires to.
A lot of what Kautilya has written is conceptual and not historical in nature however if we sift the text carefully enough we might find enough material to construct a broad brush picture of the Kautilyan society. The license with which Kautilya rejects the ideas of noted philosophers like Bharadwaja, Pishuna, and Vishlaksha indicate that scholars followed a healthy argumentative tradition on issues of academic significance. It is also clear from Kautilya’s discussion on defence and territorial expansion that the boundary of military expression was congruent with the borders of the larger Indian sub-continent, this signals a broader strategic unity of the Indian subcontinent. Kautilya’s writings on women indicate that their legal position vis-a-vis the Kautilyan state was remarkably better than in Aristotelean Greece [2.23.4-5]. Kautilya also seems to bypass the left-right dichotomy that occupies a lot of our current political space. Kautilya for example sees no contradiction between being prepossessed by the interest of the king while at the same time being deeply empathetic about the wellbeing of the general public.
The weaknesses if any in the Arthashastra are a result of its own intensity. In trying to create a perfect system of law that codifies all aspects of public and personal life Kautilya has taken on a task that is a little too much even for a man of his intellect. It is for this reason alone that the Arthashastra, to some, is pulled down by its own weight; Kautilya has the tendency to get pedantic to the extent of being banal. Kautilya has also been criticised for being too open about subverting the authority of enemy kings using methods like espionage and even assassination but considering that all modern powers adopt such methods it is only being disingenuous to consider them immoral. At worst Kautilya is being amoral and is firmly separating the business of government from morality in private life.
Minor infirmities aside, Kautilya’s Arthashastra remains one of the most useful handbooks on political theory ever written. It gives us a lot to ponder over at many levels. The principles and processes that bind the volume remain as relevant today as they were in the 4th century BC. Our rulers will do well to remind themselves of the central tenet of the Arthashastra: “In the happiness of his subjects lies the king’s happiness; in their welfare his welfare [1.19.34].”
The Arthashastra is beyond doubt one of the most important works written on statecraft. It is notable that a text of such profound depth was lost to India since the 12th century AD and was serendipitously discovered and revealed to the world by R. Shamasastry in 1904. Subsequently the work of scholars like Dr. R. P. Kangle has greatly enhanced our understanding of the masterful work comprising 4968 sutras and 380 shlokas.
The version under focus is the one translated by Mr. L.N. Rangarajan an IFS officer of the 1956 batch. This translation has broken new ground in making the classic accessible to first time readers. The key interventions that Rangarajan has made include a reordering of the text to group relevant material under appropriate heads. He has also erred on the side of comprehensibility over literary exactness.
The Arthashastra derives its relevance from two key features of the text. The first one is explicit, i.e. the prescriptive or theoretical value of the work. The second is implicit, although Kautilya has gone to great lengths in avoiding any mention of contemporary kings or historical incidents to preserve the timelessness of the work nevertheless his prescriptions do paint a picture however incomplete of the times he lived in.
At a theoretical level the key achievements of the Arthashastra lie in its analysis of Foreign Policy, Statecraft and Economics. The importance of foreign policy for the Kautilyan state is very pithily stated in verse [6.2.1] where he says, “The welfare of a state depends on an active foreign policy” (Rangarajan 1992, p. 505) Foreign policy analysts have often reduced Kautilya’s ideas on foreign policy to the catchy maxim- “A neighbour is always an enemy and an enemy’s enemy is a friend”. Notwithstanding the fact that a sizeable portion of Kautilyan ideas on foreign policy are based on geographical determinism, there is much more to his ideas than just mechanistic geopolitics. What makes Arthashastra’s ideas on foreign policy unique is its anticipation of mainstream realist concepts like relative power, balance of power ,pivotal deterrence, psychological warfare (mantrayuddha) and the anarchic international system (rajamandala) by at least 2 millennia.
Kautilya’s treatment of economics is mostly action oriented. He deals with economic administration extensively however his work on economic theory cannot be clubbed with the physiocrats of 18th century or the much more profound Adam Smith. Kautilya lays great stress on the economic basis of state capacity [2.12.37]. He was perhaps the first thinker to have recognised international trade as a means to enhancing welfare of the general population, Kautilya also hints towards concepts such as comparative advantage, efficiency wages and the role of imports as a way to enhance consumer surplus. However without a mathematical exposition Kautilya’s work on economics cannot be treated as a part of modern economic theory. The truly revolutionary thought in Kautilya’s writings on economics is his acknowledgement of services and manufacturing as greater means to aggregate wealth than agriculture. Kautilya can also be considered a proto theorist of rational choice because of his belief in cold calculated logic. His advice on handling famines is strikingly similar to the ones advocated by Amartya Sen. In fact an emphasis on materialism is where Kautilya departs from the Dharmashastra which incidentally is the pedestal (in terms of social acceptance) Kautilya aspires to.
A lot of what Kautilya has written is conceptual and not historical in nature however if we sift the text carefully enough we might find enough material to construct a broad brush picture of the Kautilyan society. The license with which Kautilya rejects the ideas of noted philosophers like Bharadwaja, Pishuna, and Vishlaksha indicate that scholars followed a healthy argumentative tradition on issues of academic significance. It is also clear from Kautilya’s discussion on defence and territorial expansion that the boundary of military expression was congruent with the borders of the larger Indian sub-continent, this signals a broader strategic unity of the Indian subcontinent. Kautilya’s writings on women indicate that their legal position vis-a-vis the Kautilyan state was remarkably better than in Aristotelean Greece [2.23.4-5]. Kautilya also seems to bypass the left-right dichotomy that occupies a lot of our current political space. Kautilya for example sees no contradiction between being prepossessed by the interest of the king while at the same time being deeply empathetic about the wellbeing of the general public.
The weaknesses if any in the Arthashastra are a result of its own intensity. In trying to create a perfect system of law that codifies all aspects of public and personal life Kautilya has taken on a task that is a little too much even for a man of his intellect. It is for this reason alone that the Arthashastra, to some, is pulled down by its own weight; Kautilya has the tendency to get pedantic to the extent of being banal. Kautilya has also been criticised for being too open about subverting the authority of enemy kings using methods like espionage and even assassination but considering that all modern powers adopt such methods it is only being disingenuous to consider them immoral. At worst Kautilya is being amoral and is firmly separating the business of government from morality in private life.
Minor infirmities aside, Kautilya’s Arthashastra remains one of the most useful handbooks on political theory ever written. It gives us a lot to ponder over at many levels. The principles and processes that bind the volume remain as relevant today as they were in the 4th century BC. Our rulers will do well to remind themselves of the central tenet of the Arthashastra: “In the happiness of his subjects lies the king’s happiness; in their welfare his welfare [1.19.34].”
March 11, 2025
A book on ancient Indian statescraft. Interesting. Loved the segments on elephant forests and how to use elephants in battle. Loved that the author really cared about animal welfare. Enjoyed the parts on black magic and superstitions. Thought the brutal punishments were interesting and that some were actually just. Was bored by majority of the book however because it goes in great detail about the economy, how to create coins, how to build the buildings and where to place them etc the general admin was obviously necessary but for a modern reader, quite boring to get through. Well written and translated, glad I read it because it gives insight into the way ancient societies were governed but not my favourite read and will never pick this up again
January 23, 2016
The Arthashastra is apparently one of the first books on political theory and was written in the 3rd century BC. The book itself is doesn't solely focus on political issues, but talks about statecraft, economy, military stragety and other topics.
The book itself is a very dry read, at least it was to me. The content was interesting enough though and showed a lot of insight into the ancient empires of India. It was especially intereting to me, knowing almost nothing about indian history to find out how complex those old states were. This was probably the most interesting part of the book to me.
It is hard to recommand this book to anyone. People who are interested in political theory or military strategy might be better of with other works. Those that want to learn about the history of the Mauryan Empire might also be better off with other works.
In the end I'd recommand it to people who are interested in the topics of this work, meaning political theory, statecraft, economics and military theory AND who are also interested in the history of those things and want to see how ancient civilisations handled it.
The book itself is a very dry read, at least it was to me. The content was interesting enough though and showed a lot of insight into the ancient empires of India. It was especially intereting to me, knowing almost nothing about indian history to find out how complex those old states were. This was probably the most interesting part of the book to me.
It is hard to recommand this book to anyone. People who are interested in political theory or military strategy might be better of with other works. Those that want to learn about the history of the Mauryan Empire might also be better off with other works.
In the end I'd recommand it to people who are interested in the topics of this work, meaning political theory, statecraft, economics and military theory AND who are also interested in the history of those things and want to see how ancient civilisations handled it.
May 30, 2021
Calling Chanakya as " Indian Machiavelli " is an insult to Chanakya prowess
I cannot believe that a guy single handedly wrote an entire state craft and simultaneously advised Mauryan's to build the largest empire till that date. Ever since i heard about Chanakya. He always fascinated me. I read his work Chanakyaniti. I wanted to read The Arthashastra for a very long period.
Although the read ended up being a lot drier than expected yet it was such a fantastical read. Foreign policy needs a special mention here. While reading we have to note that Indian sub continent has gone through many phases and changes through out its existence. In the same way the Mauryan society is way different from the Turkic invasions time's which itself was different from British raj times. So, interpreting ancient philosophy in a current context should be done with a caution.
I will not recommend this book to anyone, Unless you have deep interest in ancient India , State craft and a will to read the this encyclopedia full of data points.
I cannot believe that a guy single handedly wrote an entire state craft and simultaneously advised Mauryan's to build the largest empire till that date. Ever since i heard about Chanakya. He always fascinated me. I read his work Chanakyaniti. I wanted to read The Arthashastra for a very long period.
Although the read ended up being a lot drier than expected yet it was such a fantastical read. Foreign policy needs a special mention here. While reading we have to note that Indian sub continent has gone through many phases and changes through out its existence. In the same way the Mauryan society is way different from the Turkic invasions time's which itself was different from British raj times. So, interpreting ancient philosophy in a current context should be done with a caution.
I will not recommend this book to anyone, Unless you have deep interest in ancient India , State craft and a will to read the this encyclopedia full of data points.
March 13, 2018
Amazing detail and thoroughness in this treatise on statecraft in ancient India. I took this on after being intrigued by how the circular perspective of foreign policy compared with the more typically binary views in western academia. Rather than simply a state and adversary, Kautilya’s framework involves enemies and neutral/middle states as “spokes” on a “wheel,” to be viewed dynamically.
October 30, 2017
Found what I needed.
December 11, 2019
Machiavelli got nothing on my boy Chanakya.
January 2, 2025
felt like i was reading lore for Civilisation IV or clash of clans haha
“Every neighbouring state is an enemy and the enemy’s enemy is a friend.”
The dual policy method combines elements of engagement and detachment, allowing a leader to play multiple sides to gain advantages while maintaining flexibility.
this book offers a compelling, and sometimes controversial, framework for building and maintaining what it considers a well-organized state. It also addresses pressing issues such as economic management and the intricacies of justice, presenting a holistic approach that remains relevant in today’s context.
Notes:
- To build a well-organized state, a leader must understand its key elements and how they work together. These elements include the ruler, ministers and top advisers, the territory and its people, its fortified towns and cities, the economy, and the state’s defense architecture and allies. These elements should interact seamlessly to create stability and order.
- Additionally, a leader must be vigilant in monitoring the loyalty of his councilors. Establishing systems to investigate and ensure their allegiance helps maintain stability. This vigilance extends to the overall welfare of the population, where ensuring security and promoting public well-being are key responsibilities.
- What’s the most important role of a leader? The answer is simple: to ensure the prosperity of his people. Virtue and pleasure all stem from a strong economic backbone.
- Kautalya goes as far as to suggest selling honors to raise funds for the treasury in dire situations.
- A well-maintained treasury is essential for financial stability and must be supported by diverse sources of revenue, such as taxes, trade, and natural resources. Understanding these sources allows for better planning and responsiveness to economic fluctuations.
- Addressing corruption is another critical aspect of economic management. Leaders must be vigilant in monitoring officials to prevent misuse of resources. Implementing strict oversight and encouraging whistleblowing can help identify corrupt practices early.
- The Kautilyan legal framework covers numerous aspects of civil life. For example, inheritance laws dictate how ancestral property is divided among heirs, ensuring equitable distribution. Regulations on loans, deposits, pledges, and mortgages govern financial transactions, protecting both lenders and borrowers. Contracts are legally binding, requiring parties to fulfill their obligations.
- roving agents travel to various locations, maintaining a broader perspective on potential risks. This dual approach enhances situational awareness and enables preemptive action.
- Psychological warfare plays a significant role in undermining the enemy's morale. Techniques such as misinformation or demonstrations of power can create fear and confusion, giving a strategic advantage before the first engagement occurs.
Quotes:
- “Just as it is impossible to know when a swimming fish is drinking water, so it is impossible to find out when a government servant is stealing money”
- “Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”
“Every neighbouring state is an enemy and the enemy’s enemy is a friend.”
The dual policy method combines elements of engagement and detachment, allowing a leader to play multiple sides to gain advantages while maintaining flexibility.
this book offers a compelling, and sometimes controversial, framework for building and maintaining what it considers a well-organized state. It also addresses pressing issues such as economic management and the intricacies of justice, presenting a holistic approach that remains relevant in today’s context.
Notes:
- To build a well-organized state, a leader must understand its key elements and how they work together. These elements include the ruler, ministers and top advisers, the territory and its people, its fortified towns and cities, the economy, and the state’s defense architecture and allies. These elements should interact seamlessly to create stability and order.
- Additionally, a leader must be vigilant in monitoring the loyalty of his councilors. Establishing systems to investigate and ensure their allegiance helps maintain stability. This vigilance extends to the overall welfare of the population, where ensuring security and promoting public well-being are key responsibilities.
- What’s the most important role of a leader? The answer is simple: to ensure the prosperity of his people. Virtue and pleasure all stem from a strong economic backbone.
- Kautalya goes as far as to suggest selling honors to raise funds for the treasury in dire situations.
- A well-maintained treasury is essential for financial stability and must be supported by diverse sources of revenue, such as taxes, trade, and natural resources. Understanding these sources allows for better planning and responsiveness to economic fluctuations.
- Addressing corruption is another critical aspect of economic management. Leaders must be vigilant in monitoring officials to prevent misuse of resources. Implementing strict oversight and encouraging whistleblowing can help identify corrupt practices early.
- The Kautilyan legal framework covers numerous aspects of civil life. For example, inheritance laws dictate how ancestral property is divided among heirs, ensuring equitable distribution. Regulations on loans, deposits, pledges, and mortgages govern financial transactions, protecting both lenders and borrowers. Contracts are legally binding, requiring parties to fulfill their obligations.
- roving agents travel to various locations, maintaining a broader perspective on potential risks. This dual approach enhances situational awareness and enables preemptive action.
- Psychological warfare plays a significant role in undermining the enemy's morale. Techniques such as misinformation or demonstrations of power can create fear and confusion, giving a strategic advantage before the first engagement occurs.
Quotes:
- “Just as it is impossible to know when a swimming fish is drinking water, so it is impossible to find out when a government servant is stealing money”
- “Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”
September 19, 2020
Detta är en av de första furstespeglarna, eller, som vi kallar dem nu, statsvetenskapsböckerna. Den skrevs förmodligen för 2300 år sedan, enligt myterna av en av de som lyckades övertyga Alexanders den store soldater att vägra invadera Indien. Detta är i sig nog skäl att läsa den, och jag har försökt, tidigare, med en penguin-utgåva som jag köpte i Indien för många många år sedan. Det visar bara hur stor påverkan en översättare har, för medan Shamasastrys översättning var utmärkt, så var den förra, penguinöversättningen, närmast oläsbar.
Delar av boken har överlevt mycket väl. De bitar som handlar om spionage, internhushållning, och lagstiftning skiljer sig inte nämnvärt från vad som finns i grundböckerna i underättelsekunskap, nationalekonomi och det moderata partiprogrammet idag. De delar som handlar om informationskrigsföring liknar de ryssarna använder fortfarande. Vilket väl visar att vi människor inte förändras så speciellt mycket.
Andra delar är inte längre användbara - det är s.a.s. inte meningsfullt i vår moderna kontext att diskutera hur många hushållare som behövs för söner, och hur många av dessa som bör vara spioner. Detta är vad som gör att jag skulle kategorisera boken som historia, snarare än som statsvetenskap. Den skulle iofs kunna ha varit båda.
Boken är inte njutbar att läsa, men inte heller speciellt mycket tyngre än en offentlig utredning.
Jag rekommenderar den till nördar som fokuserar på fantasy, och till ambitiösa ungpolitiker. Resten av befolkningen lär klara sig väl utan.
Delar av boken har överlevt mycket väl. De bitar som handlar om spionage, internhushållning, och lagstiftning skiljer sig inte nämnvärt från vad som finns i grundböckerna i underättelsekunskap, nationalekonomi och det moderata partiprogrammet idag. De delar som handlar om informationskrigsföring liknar de ryssarna använder fortfarande. Vilket väl visar att vi människor inte förändras så speciellt mycket.
Andra delar är inte längre användbara - det är s.a.s. inte meningsfullt i vår moderna kontext att diskutera hur många hushållare som behövs för söner, och hur många av dessa som bör vara spioner. Detta är vad som gör att jag skulle kategorisera boken som historia, snarare än som statsvetenskap. Den skulle iofs kunna ha varit båda.
Boken är inte njutbar att läsa, men inte heller speciellt mycket tyngre än en offentlig utredning.
Jag rekommenderar den till nördar som fokuserar på fantasy, och till ambitiösa ungpolitiker. Resten av befolkningen lär klara sig väl utan.
November 30, 2024
Kautilya had a great vision for the Mauryan Empire. His thoughts about the kingdom are absolutely constructive.
March 11, 2025
اس کتاب پڑھ کر آرٹ آف وار اور دی پرنس یاد آجاتی ہے
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