The First Great Political Realist: Kautilya and His ArthashastraThe First Great Political Realist is a succinct and penetrating analysis of one of the ancient world's foremost political realists, Kautilya. Kautilya's treatise Arthashastra stands as one of the great political books of the ancient world, its ideas on the science of politics strikingly similar to those of Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Clausewitz, and even Sun Tsu. Roger Boesche's excellent commentary on Kautilya's voluminous text draws out the essential realist arguments for modern political analysis and demonstrates the continued relevance of Kautilya's work to modern Indian strategic thinking and our understanding of the relationship between politics and economics. Striking a balance between textual analysis and secondary scholarship, Boesche's work will be an enduring contribution to the study of ancient Indian history, Eastern political thought, and international relations. |
Contents
Historical Background | 7 |
A Science of Politics for a Wise King | 21 |
Kautilyas Spy State | 45 |
Copyright | |
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according actions advancement ally ancient ancient India army Aśoka assassination attack become Brahmin bring called caste cause centralized certainly Chandragupta claim conquering conqueror death decline defeated defended described destroy detailed discussed duty economy elephants empire enemy evil example fight foreign four give goal Greek Hindu human idea important India interests justice Kautilya wanted Kautilya's Arthashastra kill kind king king's kingdom land Laws of Manu leaders lives Machiavelli maintained material Mauryan means military Mookerji moral Nanda nature notes offering officers once one's passage peace persons practices prince protect punishment regarded relations religion result rule says science of politics secret agents Sharma Shūdras social sometimes spies subjects Thapar theory thinker thought tradition treasury University varnas warfare weak Whereas women wrote