Introduction

• Kautilya was the great Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Kautilya’s Arthasashtra is a magnificent work on the art of government in ancient political thought which was composed between 3rd-2nd Century B.C.
• In his political and administrative ideas, the focus of attention was the king.
• According to his beliefs, for the smooth functioning of administration and for the welfare of the people, the king had to be acquainted in the four Vedas and four sciences of government (Anvikashaki Trai, Varta and Dandniti).

Thinkers views

• T.N.Ramaswamy said, “The Arthasastra is truly an anthology of political wisdom and theory and an art of statecraft, scattered in pre-Kautilyan writings, streamlined and reinterpreted by Kautilya in his attempt to construct a separate and distinct science of statecraft.”
• Arthashastra is defined by Dr. A.L. Basham as a ―treatise on polity, an encompassing enough view but not enough to separate it from other popular guides.
• Dr. D.D. Kosambi refers to Arthashastra as a ―science of material gain.
• Dr. R. Boesche translates Arthashastra as a ―science of political economy.

Kautilya’s view on working of the state and administration

• Kautilya’s administrative and judicial structure was hierarchical in nature.
• As for impartiality, he emphasised on the principle of equity and immediacy.
• As for law and order, he believed that law was an imperial command enforced by sanctions.

“Material well-being alone is supreme. For, spiritual good and sensual pleasures depends upon material well-being.” (Kautilya)

• Arhashastra, the ancient treatise on statecraft is firmly predicated on two seemingly divergent strands – artha and dharma, the former alluding to material well-being and the latter to spiritual good.
• Interestingly, and innovatively, Kautilya weaves these two together and presents to us a theory of state which is both rational-prudent and abstract-ideal.
• The primary theme of Arthashastra is ruling well.
• At the level of the state, government plays an important role in ensuring the material well being of the nation and its people.
• Therefore, Arthashastra includes guidance on the productive enterprises, taxation, revenue collection, budget, and is in this manner the ―scene of economics.
• According to Kautilya, a state policy which aims at material progress would necessarily bring about the happiness of the people.
• This interlinkage between economic progress and righteousness is a logical corollary of the text’s materialist stance – “Material well-being alone is supreme. For spiritual good and sensual pleasures depend on material well-being.”

Consequently, for Kautilya, there is no duality between life and livelihood; they are one composite whole.

• The term ‘artha’ denotes land (inhabited by humans) which is the well-spring of all economic activities.
• Arthashastra is the science of protection of this land as a source of material well-being.
• The materialist undercurrent of statecraft entwines both life and livelihood inseparably.