The Limits of Power

Power corrupts - Kautilya knew this 2,000 years before Lord Acton. This chapter explores Danda Niti (the science of punishment), the checks on royal authority, and how legitimate governance constrains itself.

Lessons in this chapter

• The King is Not Above the Law — Dharma Binds All
• Checks on Royal Power — Engineering Against Tyranny
• The Role of Advisors — The Art of Counsel
• Decentralization of Authority — The Wisdom of Local Governance
• What Government Should NOT Do — Limits of State Action
• The Servant King — Praja-Sukhe Sukham Rajnah

Back to Arthashastra: Philosophy of Power