Inspiration Bytes: Politics and Principles

Politics and Principles

Mahatma Gandhi regarded these seven as deadly sins. They are commerce without ethics, pleasure without conscience, politics without principle, knowledge without character, science without humanity, wealth without work, and worship without sacrifice.

All great writers subordinate politics to morality. Shukra, a great writer on politics in his text ‘Shukraniti’ explicitely lays down that the king is appointed as a servant of the people and he gets a share from the people’s income in the form of tax for his maintenance and protection of the country. His primary duty is to take care of the people. And people have the power to banish him if he is found unworthy. Kautilya was a great politician and administrator. His greatness lies in his practical outlook, the more thorough way in which he welded theory and practice on fundamental moral principles. It is said that when Megasthanes came to India and heard about Chanakya ( Kautilya ) he wanted to meet him , He sent words and was allowed to go to the hut in which Chanakya was living. When he reached there, it was evening. Chanakya was writing something under the dim light of an earthen lamp .He welcomed the guest and asked him the purpose of his visit.

The foreigner replied that he had come to see him and talk to him about himself and on different topics. Chanakya asked him to wait. Then he took another lamp and after lighting it ,he put off the first lamp. Then he invited Megasthenes to sit on a mat. Megasthanese sat down but could not hide his curiosity. He asked Chanakya,” I feel there must be a reason that you have put off the first lamp and lighted another one , but I don’t find any difference in them , neither in the make and size nor the light that is coming out. Please tell me why you changed the lamp ?’.

“ Before changing it , I asked you about your purpose. I came to know that it is a personal meeting and not an official one. So I put off the official lamp whose oil comes from the government treasury and I lighted the lamp for which I purchase oil from my salary. While doing a personal work , I can’t misuse the government’s money,” Chanakya gave a simple reply.

It was really unbelievable for the visitor. He knew Chanakya was all powerful in the Mauryan Kingdom, yet he was behaving in such an honest way. He bowed before him and said,” This is the reason of your immense power!”
How many Chanakyas are there now a days?