Arthashastra the science of politics and economics, is also known as Dandaniti, Nitisara, Rajaniti and so on. It dealt not only with political theories and organisation of administrative machinery but also subjects connected with state and society, which today are clubbed under sociology, law and economics. At first the subjects were treated in a section in the Dharma Sutra and later in the Dharma Shastras. Such subjects are discussed in the Mahabharata as well. Independent treatises on the subject were also composed at an early date.
Kautilya’s Arthashastra is the earliest extant work of this class. It contains reference to a large number of treatises regarded as authority on the subject during his times. Kautilya’s Arthashastra however gradually came to be regarded as the standard on the subject and the previous works were cast into shadow.
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