Contemporary Relevance of Economic Thoughs of Kautilya

Introduction ::

Today Economic problems create most difficulties and dangerous situation not only in India but also in the entire world. The economic problems are very challenging. There isn’t any country where economic problems have not been existing. For the solution of economic problems, sciences and scriptures of the entire world study in their different methods. When the study in Economics is occurred, there is inclusion of resistive factors of economic development, the problems of developing countries just like, inequality of income, poverty etc.

In all the branches of the world, there are many efforts made for solving these economic problems. As same in our country, the government tries very hard to get the solution of these problems. Our prime minister and finance minister both try to improve our difficult economic condition.

Culture of our country is very ancient than any other country. So there is existence of economic thinking in India very early. As same, Kautilya presents his views about the economic thinking. Kautilya’s thoughts are very relevant for solving the problems of the present day society, especially in economic field. Our financial minister also quat the Kautilya while he presented the last budget in 2009.

Introductory Outline of The Subject- “Kautilya Rachitam Arthāŝastram”

Not only in India but also in the world Kautilya is known as the greatest person of wisdom and knowledge in history. He is traditionally known as the first author of Arthāŝastra in India. He has been considered as the “Pioneer” of the field of Economics. Kautilya’s Arthāŝastra is not pure Economics but it is political Economics.

Kautilya prescribes many interesting notes in Kautilya’s Arthāŝastra but its main notes are as following.

• The book describes duties of key positions in the government such as police chief, chief justice, treasurer, defense minister, commerce minister and also other. It also describes how to conduct and to treat these persons under restraints.
• Kautilya gives the characteristics of king. Kautilya divides four virtues for the king;sam, dam, dand, bhed (persuasion, temptation, punishment, and division).
• It gives how to manage councilors and the business of council meeting and Kautilya gives essential characteristics of councilors.
• He also reveals the characteristic of the ruler and his duties. He states that the important duty of the ruler is to increase prosperity, ensure judicial fairness and provide security.
• Kautilya explains the necessity of having strong government, finances and able army.
• The nation should envisage constructing forts, cities and buildings within the forts because these complexes would protect the country.
• Kautilya also describes state’s economic, social and religious duties.
• He gave also the importance of treasury. According to his view it should be full of silver metal and golden metal, because they are very helpful in critical situation of the state.
• He also gave principle about tax. The state should collect taxes at a bare minimum level so that there is no chance of tax evasion. Ideally, the government should collect taxes like a honey bee that sucks just the right amount of honey from the flower so that both can survive.
• Kautilya emphasizes the duties of superintendent on the entire department like the state goldsmith, store house, commerce, forest produce, armory, weights and measure, measurements of space and time, tolls, weaving, agriculture, liquor, slaughter house, revenue collector, merchants and ascetics, city, passports, pasturelands, commander in chief, elephants, chariots, infantry, prostitutes, ship, cows etc.
• Kautilya made laws for all the people; according to him laws of the state should be the same for all. His laws are about forms of agreement, determination of legal disputes, concerning marriage, division of inheritance, recovery of debt, miscellaneous, buildings, non-performance of agreement, rules regarding slaves and laborer, co-operative undertakings, rescission of purchase and sell, resumption of gifts and honourships, robbery, defamation.
• Kautilya wanted to protect a small skill worker and gave remedies against national calamities.
• According to Kautilya’s Arthāŝastra, Kautilya wanted to examine the entry of goods.
• He also decides the number of councilors, the power of councilors, the salaries of councilors and king.
• Internal trade is more important to Kautilya than external trade. A self-sufficient economy which is not dependent on foreign trade.
• There are mainly three types of occupation in society like agriculture, animal husbandry and business but agriculture is the most important occupation according to Kautilya.
• There are four types of ‘Purusharthas’ in our culture; Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. According to Kautilya, “Artha” is very important; “Dharma” and “Kama” are both depended on the “Artha”.
• Kautilya also gives the importance to army and opposes the greed and disloyalty of army.
• He concerns about the group of financial troubles.
• Kautilya believes that the nature of state should be people friendly.
• Wealth and success to be obtained by the employment of alternative strategic means.
• State has to protect the people against internal problems like natural calamities as well as external problems too.
• When battle would be existed, the king has to battle with infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants. The array of the army like a staff, a snake, a circle or in detected order. The array of the army should be against that of an enemy.
• He also reveals the causes of dissension and punishment.
• He gave the importance of fine. ”Fine” is the main weapon for the king to rule the state.
• He describes characteristics of powerful enemy and he also describes sowing the seeds of dissension, enticement of kings by secret contrivances, the work of spies, in a siege and restoration of peace in a conquered country.
• Kautilya presents means to injure an enemy and how to remedy against the injuries of one’s own army.
• Kautilya derives that king may be visible, invisible and inferential. That means which he sees is visible and that which he is taught by another is invisible and inference of the nature of what is not accomplished from what is accomplished is inferential.
• Kautilya was well versed with the characteristics of bureaucrats, states man, and laid down rules to prevent misuse of power.
• He emphasized the importance of accounting methods in economic enterprises to properly measure economic performance.
• He explained no amount of rules and regulations or auditing can prevent unethical behavior and that character building and action oriented ethical values were essential.
• He gave the characteristics of friend. Friends should be permanent and helpful.

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Tejal M. Bhatt
Sukhnath Para-4
Amreli-365601