For
centuries to come and the centuries that went by, which recorded
in history talking of the great men and legendary characters
who shaped time through their vision and exemplary actions.
Chanakya, perhaps is the only personality who has been accepted
and revered as a genius both by Indian and Western scholars.
He is a historical milestone in the making of India amidst
tremendous upheavals and myriad’s of reversals. Celebrated
as a shrewd statesman and a ruthless administrator, he comes
across as the greatest of diplomats of the world. He had the
guts to speak his heart out even in front of the rulers, which
shows his strong inclination to democratic values and the
audacity to put his views through. Although, he lived around
the third century BC, his ideas and principles show concurrence
and validity in the present day world. Politics was his forte.
Diplomacy in a politically charged environment shows his self-confidence
and the ability to stay calm in trying situations.
His
foresight and wide knowledge coupled with politics of expediency
founded the mighty Mauryan Empire in India. He was a great
laureate of economics with a glittering intellect to perceive
the intricate dynamics of the various economic activities
and principles.
The
centuries that succeeded him show distinct effects of his
thoughts on the way a kingdom is managed and other facets
of economic administration. Even today, one of his maxims
on taxation is very much alive and calls for adherence by
the governments of the world. According to Chanakya, "Taxation
should not be a painful process for the people. There should
be leniency and caution while deciding the tax structure.
Ideally, governments should collect taxes like a honeybee,
which sucks just the right amount of honey from the flower
so that both can survive. Taxes should be collected in small
and not in large proportions".
Chanakya,
apart from being a man of wisdom and unfailing strategies,
propounded Nitishastra, the ideal way of living for every
individual of the society. He looked at the country like a
person surrounded by problems. He worked at the total annihilation
of problems by the roots. The re-appearance of troubles only
shows its growth. His contribution to foreign policy in the
present day world is immense. Universities teach his principles
to aspiring foreign policy experts showing the infallability
of his principles. Chanakya’s art of diplomacy is well
known across India and practiced in the areas of defence,
strategy formation and foreign relations.
Quite
remarkably, long before Clausewitz came up with the quote,
which said "War is only the continuance of state policy
by other means", Chanakya had already written it in his
book ‘Chanakyaniti’. Most of his views were so
farsighted that they appeared to be prophesies. Talking on
diverse subjects such as corruption, he commented very rightly,
"It’s just as difficult to detect an official’s
dishonesty as it is to discover how much water is drunk by
the swimming fish".
As
a person, Chanakya has been described variously, as a saint,
as a ‘ruthless administrator’, as the ‘king
maker’, a devoted nationalist, a selfless ascetic and
a person devoid of all morals. He created controversy by saying
‘The ends justify the means’ and the ruler should
use any means to attain his goals and his actions required
no moral sanctions. All his written works namely, ‘Arthashastra’,
‘Nitishastra’ and ‘Chanakyaniti’ were
unique because of their rational approach and an unabashed
advocacy of real politic. His views were dimensionally novel.
He recommended even espionage and the liberal use of provocative
agents as machineries of the state. In politics, he even attested
the use of false accusations and killings by a king’s
secret agent without any ambiguities. The observance of morals
and ethics was secondary to the interests of the ruler. Some
of his stark views made him into an ambivalent personality
for the world.
This
great statesman and philosopher has been often compared to
Machiavelli, Aristotle and Plato, exemplifying his potentiality
and influential status. He has been criticized for his ruthlessness
and trickery and praised for his profound political wisdom.
Chanakya, the timeless man, was in pursuit of truth fearlessly
2000 years ago and was proved right with Vivekanand’s
words, "Arise, Awake, Sleep not till the goal is reached".
His Dreams.
Chanakya
envisioned India as a nation which would place itself as the
forerunner – politically, economically and socially.
His magnum opus, "Arthashatra", depicts in many
ways the India of His dreams. When he wrote this volume of
epic proportion, the country was ridden in feudalism and closed
and self-sufficient economy. The economy based on indigenous
ways of production; was in a transitional phase, moving towards
the advanced aspects of distribution and production. Culture
and regional politics directed the way in which trade was
done. The main activities of the economy were agriculture,
cattle rearing and commerce. Among the three, Chanakya considered
agriculture to be the most important constituent of the economy.
It’s a fact today that the Indian economy of today is
an agro based one. Covering various topics on administration,
politics and economy, it is a book of law and a treatise on
running a country which is relevant even today.
People
who think that the society in which we live will remain the
same; are dissuading themselves of the truth. Society is a
complex and dynamic system changing constantly leaving those
people behind who say no to change. Broadly speaking, Chanakya
dreamt of a country reaching the following levels of development
in terms of ideologies and social and economic development:
• An egalitarian society where there are equal opportunities for all.
• Establishment of new colonies for the augmentation of resources. He also advocated the development of the already annexed colonies. His imperialistic views can be interpreted as the development of natural and man made resources.
• According to Chanakya, the efficient management of land is essential for the development of resources. It is essential that the state keeps an eye on the occupation of excess land by the landlords and unauthorized use of land. Ideally the state should monitor the most important and vital resource – Land.
• The state should take care of agriculture at all times. Government machinery should be directed towards the implementation of projects aimed at supporting and nurturing the various processes; beginning from sowing of seeds to harvest.
• The nation should envisage to construct forts and cities. These complexes would protect the country from invasions and provide internal security. The cities would act as giant markets increasing the revenue of the state.
• Internal trade was more important to Chanakya than external trade. At each point of the entry of goods, a minimal amount of tax should be collected. The state should collect taxes at a bare minimum level, so that there is no chance of tax evasion.
• Laws of the state should be the same for all, irrespective of the person who is involved in the case. Destitute women should be protected by the society because they are the result of social exploitation and the uncouth behavior of men.
• Security of the citizens at peace time is very important because state is the only savior of the men and women who get affected only because of the negligence of the state. Antisocial elements should be kept under check along with the spies who may enter the country at any time.
• Chanakya envisioned a society where the people are not running behind material pleasures. Control over the sense organs is essential for success in any endeavor. Spiritual development is essential for the internal strength and character of the individual. Material pleasures and achievements are always secondary to the spiritual development of the society and country at large.