KAUTILYA'S SAPTANG THEORY OF STATE

The Mauryan era of ancient India gave the world a significant treatise, the
Arthashastra of Kautilya.It offers deep insights into political statecraft. Kautilya is
known as the Indian Machiavelli because of his ruthless and shrewd tactics and
policies reflecting an approach to statecraft including warfare. Nature of State The
state of ―nature‖ is imagined to be one of total anarchy, in which ―might was
right‖.When people were oppressed by Matsya nyaya, the law of the fish, according
to which the bigger fish swallows the smaller ones they selected Manu– son of
Vivasvat the king. It was settled that the king should receive one-sixth of the grain
and one-tenth of merchandise and gold, as his due. It was the revenue which made
it possible for the king to ensure the security and prosperity of his subjects. People
agreed to pay taxes and he was ruled by one person in order that they might be able
to enjoy well-being and security. In Kautilya‖s Arthashastra, there is no explicit
theory of social contract as laid down by the contractualist. Neither does Kautilya
use the contract to make the king all powerful. •Artha - related to the substance of
livelihood of man; Shastra - science;Deals with the acquisition, maintenance &
protection of the means of livelihood and how to ensure the well-being of a man.

•Also deals with statecraft, politics and administration (our area of interest)
-Because well-being is dependent upon palana and Labha
Palana - administration, protection given by state (internal)
Labha - acquisition of resources & other territories/kingdoms (external)
It is Practical, not ideal
-No ideal theories given (like Hobbes 'origin of state')
-Passing reference to aspects like 'origin of state', but no detailed study
-Practical utility
•Descriptive & prescriptive

Function of State

Kautilya classifies the functions of the state basically into four

• Protection
• Maintaining the Law
• Preserving Social Order
• Promoting the welfare of the people
Protection
•The first function of the state is guarding the country against internal as
well as external threats.
• Internally people and their property have to be protected from thieves and
dacoits etc and also externally from outside the state there may be threats from
invasions that have to be dealt with.

Maintaining the Law

•It is expected by the people that the King will maintain the customs and laws of
the land.
• The king according to Kautilya should settle legal disputes in conformity with the
sacred principles and laws in consultation with learned brahmins.

Preserving Social Order

• Kautilya says that it is the duty of the king to protect the dharma of the land by
which he meant the social order.
•It is the duty of the king to deliver justice and help keep people of different varnas
preserve their professions or in other words help
maintain varna dharma sharma.

Promoting the welfare of the people

•The king according to Kautilya should function on the goal that it is in the
happiness of his subjects that his happiness lies.
•The state should control the whole of social life.
•It should promote religion and spirituality and in so doing regulate the age and
conditions under which one might renounce the world.
• Kautilya advised the state should provide support to the poor, pregnant women,
and to their children, to orphans, to the aged, the afflicted and the helpless.

KAUTILYA’S VIEWS ON STATE

The state is the central point in the discourse of Kautilya’s approach towards
administration. According to Kautilya the primary objective of the state is to
ensure the welfare of the people, to protect them from natural calamities, to destroy
enemies, and for promoting education among its masses, besides providing law and
order in the country. The state of Kautilya should be based on sound economic
foundations, so that the subjects residing are in a position to realize the aims of
their life. The state should also try to lessen the dependence of the community on
the outside world, and also be in a position to help other sections of humanity in
distress, paving the way to a brighter beyond. To Kautilya, the state is a mixture of
both material and spiritual elements. The objective of a state is not only to manage
religious means and work for people, but to create a situation where all people can
live in harmony without any discrimination based on colour, creed, caste, etc.
Kautilya has also identified certain areas wherein the state plays or should play an
active role.Some of these areas are mentioned below :

1) Agriculture : Kautilya considers agriculture as the backbone of the state's

economy. A state must have cultivated land, so as to meet the food requirements of
the people living in it.
2) Administrative Appointments : According to Kautilya, it is the responsibility
of the king to make essential appointments, so as to ensure good Administration.
3) Military function : The state’s safety is a major concern, and for this there is a
need for an integrated and powerful military which is in a position to respond
boldly to an outsider’s attack.
4) Control over Trade and Commerce : Kautilya favored state control over trade
and commerce. The state was also to regulate and control foreign trade. The state
has to ensure that the traders do not smuggle goods. Kautilya also favored state
control in areas like gold mines, gold, forest produce, manufacture and sale of
liquor. All these features seem to be common with state socialism. He wanted the
state to participate in trade and commerce, and devise various laws to control
prices and profits. He favored the appointment of Directors of shops for checking
weights and measures and favored fixation of prices and commodities of day to
day use so that the people do not suffer from any hardship. However it may be
noted that Kautilya attributed all these elements to the state not out of socialistic
motives of seeking to destroy the existing economic environment on account of
their restrictive and oppressive nature but was motivated by the considerations of
intensifying and multiplying the resources of the state receipts.
5) Element of Punishment : In the state so as to ensure orderliness Kautilya also
favored the use of punishment. According to Kautilya severe punishment is not
desirable, but milder forms can be used in a state. He says- “He who inflicts severe
punishments becomes oppressive to all creatures; he who inflicts mild punishment
is overpowered; he who inflicts just punishment is respected.” He further says “
Punishment when directed with consideration unites the people with virtue, wealth
and desire, but when it is misapplied under the influence of greed and anger
through ignorance, it irritates even the hermits and ascetics, not to speak of house
holders.
6) Foreign policy and state : How a state should maintain relations with other
states, Kautilya very well elaborated the process. According to him, if a king is
losing strength in comparison with another, should go for peace. If a king is
growing strong he should not abstain from war, if a king feels that neither can he
nor the enemy can hurt him then the king should observe neutrality, if a king has an
excess of advantage he shall march, if a king is wanting in strength he shall give
protection. Finally, if a king who undertakes work requires assistance should adopt
the dual policy. The king should design policies in such a way so as to get rid of
impoverishment, greed and dissatisfaction among the people.

Thus, Kautilya gave an elaborate interpretation as to the activities and role of the
state.

Elements of State Kautilya enumerated seven prakritis or essential organs of

the state. They are as follow
(i) Swami (The Ruler) the sovereign,
(ii) Amatya (The Minister) the officials,
(iii) Janapada (The Population) the territory,
(iv) Durga (The Fortified Capital) the fort,
(v) Kosha (The Treasury) the treasury,
(vi) Danda (The Army)
(vii) Mitra (Ally and Friend)

Swami(The Ruler) It is the first and the most important element. Swami means
the monarch. He should be a native of the soil and born in a noble family. He
should be brave and well learned. He makes all the important appointments and
supervises the government. He has to be virtuous and should treat his subjects like
his own children. Kautilya has given extensive powers to the monarch but those
powers are meant for the welfare of the subjects. In the welfare and happiness of
his subjects, lies his own happiness.

Amatya (The Minister) It refers to the council of ministers as well as the

supporting officials and subordinate staff. They are meant for assisting the
monarch in day to day affairs of the state. Amatya gives suggestions to the king,
collects taxes, develops new villages and cities, ensures defense of the state and all
other tasks as assigned by the king.

Janpada (The Population) It refers to territory and people of the state. The
territory of the state should be fertile and should have abundance of forest, rivers,
mountains, minerals, wildlife etc. It should have a good climate. People should be
loyal to their king, hard working, disciplined, religious, ready to fight for their
motherland, and should pay taxes regularly and happily.

Durga (The Fortified Capital) It refers to forts. The state should have a sufficient
number of forts across its territory at strategic locations for ensuring defense
against foreign invasions. Forts should be built near hills/mountains, deserts, dense
forests and big water bodies. They garrison soldiers, store food grains for
emergencies and also serve as a hideout for the king when his life is in danger.

Kosha(The Treasury) This means treasury of the state. Finance is the life blood of
any state without which it is almost impossible to run it. Money is needed for
paying salaries, building new infrastructure, etc. The treasury should be full of
money and valuable metals and gems. It can be increased through taxation and
plundering enemy states in war.

Danda(The Army) It refers to the military. The state should have a regular, large,
disciplined and well trained military. It is crucial for the security of the state. The
soldiers should be recruited from families which are traditionally associated with
the military. The soldiers should be paid well and their families should be taken
care of in the most suitable way. Proper training and equipment should be made
available. Well fed and well trained soldiers can win any battle. The king should
take care of the soldiers and the soldiers will be ready to sacrifice even their life for
him.

Mitra (Ally and Friend) It refers to friends of the king. The monarch should
maintain friendly relationships with traditional friends of his forefathers. He should
also make new friendships. He should send gifts and other pleasantries for his
friends. They should be helped in times of emergency. They should be loyal.
Friends add to the power of the state. They are also important from foreign trade
point of view.

Role of king

Kautilya gives extensive powers to the kings and attaches an element of divinity.
His foremost duty is protection of the subjects and their property. King‖s sources of
power revolving around three sources
– Prabhu Shakti(the power of the army and the treasury),
Manta Shakti (advice of wise men, specially the council of ministers) and Utsah
Shakti (charisma).
Duties of Kings Kautilya‖s Arthashastra does not believe in the ―Theory of
Divine‖ origin of the Monarch. According to him, the state is a human institution
and it should be manned by a human being. So, the king should be the protector of
the dharma of the whole society. Arthashastra pointed out the duties of kings are :
Should follow his rajya dharma. Should exhibit attributes, i.e. Atma Vrata
(self-control) Should ease the six enemies— Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobh
(greed), Mana (vanity), Mada (haughtiness), and Harsh (overjoy).

System of Law

Although, Kautilya’s state theory states the monarchical democracy, but the sole
authority vested under the king to make law and that it derived from four sources
Dharma (sacred law), Vyavahara (evidence), Charita (history and custom) and
Rajasasana (edicts of the king). Arthashastra represents a system of civil, criminal
and mercantile law. For instance, the following were codified a procedure for
interrogation, torture, trial, the rights of the accused, Constitution of permissible
evidence, a procedure for autopsy in case of death in suspicious circumstances,
Constitution of (deformation) and procedure for claiming damages, invalid and
invalid contract.

Conclusion
The Arthashastra is a textbook of practical politics and statecraft. One of the
outstanding contributions of Kautilya‖s Arthashastra to statecraft and governance
in a monarchical state. Hence, Kautilya‖s theory of state envisages a rational
approach to governance and state craft which conceptualizes the state and the
office of the kingship to be human artifacts.