The arthashastra is a book of political realism defined

It is divided into 15 different sections for the better understanding of the readers. The historical process of tradition of indian politics is primeval and traced back to the period of vedas. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This arthasastra is made as a compendium of almost all thearthasastras, which, in view of acquisition and maintenance of theearth, have been composed by ancient teachers. Roger boesche describes the arthasastra as a book of political realism, a book analysing how the political world does work and not very often stating how it ought to work, a book that frequently discloses to a king what calculating and sometimes. Ethics, politics and statecraft very clearly in his book called arthashastra. Buy arthashastra book online at low prices in india. Nov 15, 2010 this is owing to his treatise on the science of politics, the arthashastra, written about 300 b. The authors contentions and arguments about the meaning and significance of. Political realism internet encyclopedia of philosophy. The arthashastra summarizes the political thoughts of kautilya. In arthashastra itself it is being used in various contexts, points out l n rangarajan in his translation of kautilya arthashastra. This is bit similar with wealth which is defined in wealth of nations.

A copy of the arthashastra in sanskrit, written on palm leaves, was presented by a tamil brahmin from tanjore to the newly opened mysore oriental library headed by benjamin lewis rice. Political realism is a theory of political philosophy that attempts to explain, model, and prescribe political relations. Oct 25, 2017 under ancient indian political thought very prominent name comes of chankaya i. Selections from the classic indian work on statecraft. Kautilya was a proponent of a welfare state but definitely encouraged war for preserving the power of the state. Our writers will create an original kautilyaas arthashastra. Book ii,the duties of government superintendents chapter i. Roger boesche, who relied entirely on the 1969 translation by kangle for his analysis of arthashastra, and who criticized an alternate 1992 translation by rangarajan, has called the arthashastra as a great political book of the ancient world. Kautilyaas arthashastra and war free essay example. Kautilyas work is primarily a book of political realism where state is paramount and king shall carry out duties as advised in his book to preserve his state kenneth, 1987. Arthashastrabook ii wikisource, the free online library.

Ap world history chapter 3 terms flashcards quizlet. The arthashastra reflected the political philosophy of. However, if we carefully examine some of the literature after the second urbanisation emergence of the janapads of the subcontinent we find a lot of material which tells us that ancient indian writers were not devoid of the capability of writing treatises on. When arthashastra came out in the early twentieth century, it was a revelation.

Shamasastry, 1915 book i, concerning discipline book ii, the duties of government superintendents. The book speaks pros and cons of mudiyarasu authoritarian and kudiyarasu power distributed and how they managed to keep foods in stock to tackle during drought time. In order to protect the institution of the four castes, such measures as are treated of in secret science shall be applied against the wicked. Arthashastrabook xiv wikisource, the free online library. May 16, 20 chanakya was chief advisor to both chandragupta and his son bindusara. Peace itself is defined as the undisturbed ability to enjoy the fruits of economic growth. The arthashastra summary a treatise on statecraft and. When identity is thus defined by contrast, divergence with the west. The book itself is doesnt solely focus on political issues, but talks about statecraft, economy, military stragety and other topics.

It is a major source of information on the social relations, economy, and political institutions of ancient india. Statecraft very clearly in his book called arthashastra. The arthashastra is apparently one of the first books on political theory and was written in the 3rd century bc. This edition is dated to approximately 250 ce, many centuries after the time of kautilya, but the main ideas in this book are largely his. Kautilyas work is so deep rooted in realism that he goes to describe the gory and brutal means a king must adopt to be in power. Mar 31, 2016 the arthashastra of kautilya is one of the most impressive books that i have read in the recent years. This has been variously translated as science of politics to help a king in the. The text was considered lost by colonial era scholars, until a manuscript was discovered in 1905. For kautilya, military strategy was an integral part of the science of polity27 and he made no distinction between military techniques and statecraft.

Kautilya, it is believed, was prime minister to chandragupta, although this view has been contested. He has been considered as one of the shrewdest ministers of the times and has explained his views on state, war, social structures, diplomacy, ethics, politics and statecraft very clearly in his book called arthashastra. E, some eighteen hundred years prior to niccolo machiavellis the prince, considered to be the quintessential text on political realism. After many revisions and additions, the book took its present form about 1800 years before, in the 2nd century. Chanakya is traditionally identified by two other names. This could have been one reason why ashoka, the grandson of. Mar 04, 2018 the arthashastra summary the western world generally assumes that ancient indian literature lacked in strategic thinking.

Jan 06, 2012 kautilyas arthashastra book i, concerning discipline chapter i. In the 4th century bce, he wrote the ancient indian political treatise called arthashastra. This arthashastra is primarily a book of political realism where state is paramount and king shall carry out duties as advised in his book to preserve his state. Through the instrumentality of such men or women of mlechchha class as can put on disguises, appropriate to different countries, arts, or professions, or as can put. Either by inducing foreigners to immigrate paradesapravahanena or by causing the thicklypopulated centres of his own kingdom to send forth the excessive population svadesabhishyandavamanena va, the king may construct villages either on new sites or on old ruins. Kautilya was a minister of chandragupta maurya 321 bc 297 bc, an emperor of ancient india. The arthashastra is an indian book or a treatise that details the right qualities of a good king and how to achieve this state. It is a book detailing how to manage a kingdom, or basically it deals with the art of government and politics. Arthashastra simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Book iv, chapter 12, sexual intercourse with immature girls he who defiles a virgin of equal caste before she has reached her majority shall have his hand cut off or pay a fine of 400 panas. The arthashastra totally contains 5363 sutras, 15 books, 150 chapters, and 180 sections. While it is true that is offers views on how a kingruler shall act in order to overcome obstables it is just so much more. On the other hand kautilyas arthashastra overwhelms the reader with tons of details, minutious instructions on each and every little detail of a state. The kautilyaarthashastra covers political philosophy and the. The first great political realist is a succinct and penetrating analysis of one of the ancient worlds foremost political realists, kautilya.

Kautilyas arthashastra is a book of pure logic, not taking any religious aspect into account. This arthasastra is made as a compendium of almost all the. Authorship is ascribed to kautilya fourth century b. It is used in the sense of material wellbeing, in livelihood, economically productive activity trade etc. Kautilyas treatise arthashastra stands as one of the great political books of the ancient world, its ideas on the science of politics strikingly similar to those of thucydides, machiavelli, hobbes, clausewitz, and even sun tsu.

The book itself is a very dry read, at least it was to me. This is owing to his treatise on the science of politics, the arthashastra, written about 300 b. Although only fragments remain, some of our best information about early indian history comes from the book, indika, written by. Book 4 is a treatise on criminal law, where the king or officials acting on his behalf, take the initiative and start the judicial process against acts of crime. In his recent book, world order, henry kissinger refers to the ancient indian treatise, the arthashastra, as a work that lays out the requirements of power, which is the dominant reality in.

Taking his this work as a collection of thoughts on political realism, here is a humble attempt to peep inside and ponder over the elements. Kautilyas arthashastra 3 book i, concerning discipline chapter i. Kautilya stands for quintessential foreign policy realism and principle for interstate. Kautilyas 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. It takes as its assumption that power is or ought to be the primary end of political action, whether in the domestic or international arena. The title arthashastra is often translated to the science of politics, but the book arthashastra has a broader scope.

Machiavellis book focusses to please a king with a few kind words and offers only a handful of practical advises most of which from todays perspective are barely beyond the ordinary. It deals with the various subjects directly and with razor like sharpness. This book was lost for many centuries until a copy of it, written on palm leaves, was rediscovered in india in 1904 ce. Realism definition is concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary. The arthashastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic. Kautilyas work is primarily a book of political realism where. Arthashastra article about arthashastra by the free dictionary. This book is basically a collection of 380 shlokas which have been written in prose. The deliberations regarding politics are found in smritis and puranas by the name dandaniti. In describing an ideal government, kautilya indicates contemporary assumptions of political and economic theory, and the description of the.

Kautilyas work is primarily a book of political realism where state is paramount and. The first great political realist and millions of other books are available for amazon. Kautilyas arthashastra and machiavellis the prince found in even the most ancient accounts of war and diplomacy, military treatise are systematic expositions on the proper conduct of war and peace and in what way both can be successfully administered. The book arthashastra written by trautmann speaks on the balance between politics and business they had during mauryas time.

Book 3 of the arthashastra, states trautmann, is dedicated to civil law, including sections relating to economic relations of employer and employee, partnerships, sellers and buyers. Kautilyas arthashastra must be regarded as one of the major political and strategic treatises of the ancient world. The arthashastra is an extraordinarily detailed manuscript on statecraft, and is considered to be the. Kautilya was the minister in the kingdom of chandragupta maurya during 317 293 b.