The Arthashastra

Realism, Morality, and Statecraft

In an age of rapidly changing global order, the renegotiation of old alliances and partnerships, and an unsteady rise of Indian regional and global power, an ancient wisdom must now be resurrected into Indian polity.

Alongside the collapse of western politico-economic hegemony, is a more subtle collapse of its philosophical dominion. Conceptions of the State — in terms of its role and function — are being thoroughly re-examined amongst all revisionist powers. It is in this environment, where Kautilyan wisdom — with its’ intricate political and moral nuances — shall bear greatest fruit to the nation.

The Arthashastra is a text that emphasises heavily on contextual prudence and pragmatism during a state’s decision-making process. Yet, both the legitimacy and the capacity of the State pivot around a unique dynamic of morality and realism.

The primary role and core capacity of the State, is of immense philosophical importance to the text. Western literature merely advices coercion and the pursuit for material prosperity as a state’s prerogative; however the Arthashastra morally legitimises the same — placing material comfort as the basis for one’s spiritual pursuits (Dharma).

Furthermore, the Arthashastra, being influenced by a combination of three philosophically distinct schools of thought, enables it to take a pragmatic stance, whilst having a moral and spiritual undercurrent. This seeming polarity of maintaining basic morality through decisive and even divisive action, is masterfully articulated in the Arthashastra.

For example, the State being the monopoly of force, as suggested by Weber, was already long incorporated into Dandaniti (Political Science) in the Arthashastra — whose matsya-nyaya (Anarchic) worldview is distinctly realist in nature. Further, the notion of permanent interests, rather than permanent enemies or allies, signifies the pragmatic worldview of the Arthashastra. Yet unlike much of western literature, the Arthashastra overcomes the moral dilemma over the use of force, by distinguishing Raja Dharma from the Dharma of ordinary men. It claims the moral duties of a King to be in principally distinct from that of an ordinary man, thereby enabling him/her to take shrewd and manipulative actions whilst still maintaining basic moral integrity and command.

However, doing so also does not make a ruler any more righteous than ordinary man. Like the enlightenment-era social-contract theory, the Arthashastra declares the purpose of the state to be removal of matsya-nyaya within its boundaries. To this end, material comfort and prosperity of its people becomes the State’s existential obligation — with the ruler as little more than a public servant.

By articulating government functioning in such a manner, the Arthashastra avoids another trap some western theories succumb to — to place the Statesman as arbitrarily higher than ordinary man. Indeed India’s political ecosystem too has fallen into this trap — by placing civil servants, judges and politicians on a pedestal, as if their role is any more intrinsically righteous or benevolent than others. The Arthashastra, however, clearly calls out such a fallacy as well.

In its entirety, morality articulated in the Arthashastra, when viewed through the lens of Acorn’s principle-power matrix, clearly distinguishes a coercive hegemonist from a benevolent power — much unlike Machiavelli. It simultaneously prevents the State from being morally demonised for its actions, and Statesmen from being heralded through their role in government — thereby striking an interesting balance. By stressing on prudent action, considering the anarchic environment, and redefining the moral integrity of Statehood, the Arthashastra exceptionally combines all facets of normative statecraft.

It provides a powerful philosophical alternative to Western models of State and Governance, and keenly articulates the unique dynamic between realist necessity and human conscience.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Gautam, P.k. “Overcoming the Ways of Matsya Nyaya.” Strategic Analysis 37, no. 5 (2013): 521–25. doi:10.1080/09700161.2013.821243.
• Kamal, Kajari. “Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Indian Strategic Culture and Grand Strategic Preferences.” Journal for Defence Studies. Liebig, Michael. “Statecraft and Intelligence Analysis in the Kautilya-Arthashastra.” Journal of Defence Studies..
• Mishra, Malay. “Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Restoring Its Rightful Place in the Field of International Relations.” Journal of Defence Studies.