Political philosophy of Kautilya : the Arthashastra and after

"Political Philosophy of Kautilya: The Arthashastra and After offers a critical analysis of ideas and institutions as described in the ancient political economy text Arthashastra. It discusses the contributions of pre-Kautilyan, Kautilyan and post-Kautilyan political thought to the evolution and development of political theory, in general, and the impact and influence of Kautilya's contributions, in particular. The book examines Kautilya's theory of state, power, law and justice, administration, security, society and social well-being. This book examines the nature of the Kautilyan state and argues that it followed the principles of a 'welfare state', a concept coined much later. It talks about the relationship between moralism and realism in the treatment of international relations. It highlights the Kautilyan strategies in dealing with a hostile environment in the neighbourhood and beyond, which will be particularly interesting to scholars of contemporary international relations"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Contents 12 Acknowledgements 14 Introduction 18 Chapter 1 State and Governance in Pre-Kautilyan Indian Political Thought 30 Chapter 2 The Theory of State in the Arthashastra 65 Chapter 3 Legal Theory of Kautilya: A Modernist Philosophy? 126 Chapter 4 Mandala/Rajamandala Theory and the Theory of Interstate Relations 170 Chapter 5 Women in the Arthashastra 214 Chapter 6 Post-Kautilyan Political Science 239 Conclusion 281 Bibliography 299 About the Author 312 Index 313 This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the political thought of Kautilya and a critical reading of the original text Arthashastra.