About The Book

The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in Sanskrit. It identifies its author by the names 'Kauṭilya' and 'Vishnugupta', both names that are traditionally identified with Chanakya (c. 350–283 BC), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan Empire. The text was influential until the 12th century, when it disappeared. It was rediscovered in 1904 by R. Shamasastry, who published it in 1909. The first English translation was published in 1915.

Roger Boesche describes the Arthaśāstra 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 brutal measures he must carry out to preserve the state and the common good."

Centrally, Arthaśāstra argues how in an autocracy an efficient and solid economy can be managed. It discusses the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. The scope of Arthaśāstra is, however, far wider than statecraft, and it offers an outline of the entire legal and bureaucratic framework for administering a kingdom, with a wealth of descriptive cultural detail on topics such as mineralogy, mining and metals, agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and the use of wildlife. The Arthaśāstra also focuses on issues of welfare (for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine) and the collective ethics that hold a society together.

About the Author

375 BC - 283 BC

Sometimes spelled Cāṇakya or Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta

Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. Many regard Chanakya as a great thinker and diplomat. Some Indian nationalists even argue that he is one of the earliest people to envisage an united India spanning the entire subcontinent. Originally a professor of economics and political science at the ancient university of Takshashila, Chanakya managed the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. Consequently, he is widely credited as being instrumental in establishing the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.

Two books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti. The Arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. The text also outlines the duties of a ruler. Chanakya Niti is a collection of aphorisms, said to be selected by Chanakya from the various shastras. Some consider these works as evidence that Chanakya pioneered the field of political science and economics in India, and that his work was an important precursor to classical economics. His writings were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire, then were rediscovered in 1915, and have since grown in popularity.