Scribd
Upload
756 views8 pages

7 Limbs of State

Kautilya enumerated seven essential organs of the state: the ruler, minister, population, fortified capital, treasury, army, and allies. The ruler holds the most important position and is responsible for appointments and government supervision. The minister assists the ruler in day-to-day affairs. The population and territory provide resources to the state. Fortified capitals, treasury, and army provide security. Allies increase the state's power through trade and mutual support. Kautilya designed the government to have extensive legal and bureaucratic systems to administer these organs and protect the people.

Uploaded by

pcjoshi02
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
756 views8 pages

7 Limbs of State

Kautilya enumerated seven essential organs of the state: the ruler, minister, population, fortified capital, treasury, army, and allies. The ruler holds the most important position and is responsible for appointments and government supervision. The minister assists the ruler in day-to-day affairs. The population and territory provide resources to the state. Fortified capitals, treasury, and army provide security. Allies increase the state's power through trade and mutual support. Kautilya designed the government to have extensive legal and bureaucratic systems to administer these organs and protect the people.

Uploaded by

pcjoshi02
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Elements of State

• Kautilya enumerated seven essential organs of


the state. They are as follow-
(i) Swami (The Ruler)
(ii) Amatya (The Minister)
(iii) Janapada (The Population)
(iv) Durga (The Fortified Capital)
(v) Kosha (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 them
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 staffs. They are meant for assisting
the monarch in day to day affairs of the state. Amatya gives
suggestions to 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, wild life etc. It should have
good climate. People should be loyal to their king, hard
working, disciplined, religious, ready to fight for their
motherland, should pay taxes regularly and happily.
• Durga (The Fortified Capital)
• It refers to forts. The state should have 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 emergency and also serve as a hideout for the king when his
life in danger.
• Kosha(The Treasury)
• This means treasury of the state. Finance is 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 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 those families which are traditionally
associated with military. The soldiers should paid well and their families
should be taken care of in 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
relationship 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 view point.
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, 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 whole society.  Arthashastra pointed out
duties of kings are :
• Should follow his rajya dharma.
• Should exhibit attributes, i.e. Atma Vrata (self-control) l 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), Vyavhara (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.
Machinery of Government

• The Arthashastra catalogues a phalanx of officers called


superintendents, lower in importance than the ministerial
officers and much below them, belonging to the sixth order,
according to remuneration. They are not heads of departments.
The superintendents might be as chiefs of sections dealing with
various economic and other activities of the government. Most
of these sections are the modern business departments. A dual
control is exercised over the superintendents. As far as control
of the services of the personal and collection of revenue are
concerned, they are under the Collector-General.

You might also like