State and Statecraft in Kautilya's Arthasàstra

Abstract

"Kautilya's Arthasastra (4th century B.C.) is one of the most influential treatise in Political Science in the Indian Civilization. This work deals with virtually all aspects of governance in a monarchical state. In the Indian philosophy, the objective of every being is the pursuit of dharma. State, a human artifact, is constituted to get the human race out of the state of nature. State enables the citizens to follow their respective dharma and to enjoy private property rights. King is viewed as a protector of dharma, but not the sole interpreter of it. There is separation between secular and ecclesiastical power. State has many autonomous associations and guilds in its jurisdiction and the ensuing polycentric arrangements checks the rise of absolute power. Arthasastra visualizes a huge bureaucratic structure, a complex tax structure, and an intricate intelligence system."