Using Kautilya's Arthashastra
What should we care about while applying this classic to modern Indian foreign policy, governance, and geopolitics?
Kautilya’s Arthashastra is both an Indian and a universal classic. It sets out maxims of foreign policy and governance with great rigour and cold, relentless reasoning. There is a lot of enthusiasm about its contemporary relevance, and it is often used to understand contemporary Indian foreign policy & international geopolitics.
But is this being done well? Does the text lend itself to modern application in a simple, straightforward manner? What are the methodological challenges involved here?
In my latest theory column for India’s World, I discuss a range of issues around Arthashastra’s contemporary usage. My key arguments are:
Let’s separate Kautilya the author of Arthashastra from the Chanakya-Chandragupta legend.
Let’s pay close attention to whether or not we fully and accurately understand what the text is saying.
Let’s be alert to the fact that the geopolitical environment depicted in Arthashastra is starkly different to the one confronting contemporary India. And to the fact that the external orientation of Kautilya’s home polity is risk-embracing whereas that of modern India is risk-averse.
And let’s consider learning more about the international relations of the period during which Arthashastra was composed. We know far less about the international affairs of that period than we know about ours.
Here’s the piece:
The piece is available here: https://indiasworld.in/classic-strategy-what-to-remember-when-reading-kautilyas-arthashastra/
Link to other theory columns: https://indiasworld.in/individual/atul-mishra/
Hope you enjoyed reading it. Do send in your thoughts.