Kautilya's Arthshastra

•Concerned with the acquisition and protection of means of livelihood.

•Also a means to ensure the well-being of men in general

•Two fold aims

–Palana: administration and protection of the state

–Labha: conquest and acquisition of territory

•Hence it is a science dealing with internal as well as external spheres.

•Concentrated on the practical aspects of administration 

Origin of the state

•Might is right

•Matsyanyaya: Law of the fish

•Hence they chose Manu as the king

•Gave him taxes in return for protection

•No explicit theory of social contract in the book

Monarchy

•Attaches an element of divinity to the king

•Monarchy seems to have been the accepted norm

•Other forms:  

–Dvairajya: joint rule of the kingdom by the males of the same family

–Vairajya: rule by a foreign ruler

•Disapproves of Vairajya

Qualities of the ruler

•Should be a native of the territory

•Follow the teachings of the shastra

•Strong and of noble birth etc

•Trained in philosophy, economics and political science (dandaniti)

•Difference between Kautilya’s king and Plato’s philosopher king

–Kautilya doesn’t mean that the king should lead the life of a saint or an ascetic. 

Duties of the king

Rakshana/Palana: Protection of the subjects and their property

•Ensure their yogaksema: a broad idea implying welfare, well-being, prosperity and happiness.
•Take active part in war and the administraiton of justice•Dharmaniyama: lay down broad lines of policy and codes of regulation•<take care of the subjects like a father: paternalistic rule>
•Protection of social order founded on varnas/ preservation of the vedic order•So protection has three components: from natural calamities, anti-social elements and of varna system