POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY
Autor(a) principal: | |
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Data de Publicação: | 2023 |
Outros Autores: | |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | eng |
Título da fonte: | Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
Texto Completo: | https://doi.org/10.21814/eps.2.1.87 |
Resumo: | Is there always an inherent contradiction between political pragmatism and ethics? This paper explores this through the classical Indian realist political treatise, the Arthashastra, written by Kautilya. He was the key advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya (c. 317-293 B.C.E), credited with first consolidating the Indian subcontinent into an empire under centralized control. Kautilya is widely agreed to be a pioneer in developing a ‘science of politics’- a great departure from the hitherto existing moralistic, spiritual, ascetic preoccupations and, religious speculations of Indian political philosophy. Kautilya blurred the distinction between morality and political utility. Much of political theory tradition remains oblivious to Kautilya’s contribution to morality in realpolitik and his continuing influence in non-Western societies. His treatise is a significant point of entry into exploring the dilemmas attached to active pursuance of ethical goals while also balancing the imperatives underpinning political pragmatism- a concern which has carried on to this day. |
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POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITYPRAGMATISMO POLÍTICO E ÉTICA NO ARTHASHASTRA DE KAUTYLA: CONTRADIÇÃO OU COMPLEMENTARIDADELYING AND HYPOCRISY IN POLITICS AND MORALITY, WITH RUTH GRANTIs there always an inherent contradiction between political pragmatism and ethics? This paper explores this through the classical Indian realist political treatise, the Arthashastra, written by Kautilya. He was the key advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya (c. 317-293 B.C.E), credited with first consolidating the Indian subcontinent into an empire under centralized control. Kautilya is widely agreed to be a pioneer in developing a ‘science of politics’- a great departure from the hitherto existing moralistic, spiritual, ascetic preoccupations and, religious speculations of Indian political philosophy. Kautilya blurred the distinction between morality and political utility. Much of political theory tradition remains oblivious to Kautilya’s contribution to morality in realpolitik and his continuing influence in non-Western societies. His treatise is a significant point of entry into exploring the dilemmas attached to active pursuance of ethical goals while also balancing the imperatives underpinning political pragmatism- a concern which has carried on to this day.Haverá sempre uma contradição intrínseca entre o pragmatismo político e a ética? Este artigo explora este tema através do realismo do tratado político clássico indiano, o Arthashastra, escrito por Kautyla. Ele era o conselheiro principal do Imperador Chandragupta Maurya (c. 317-293 B.C.E), tendo sido reconhecido como o primeiro a consolidar o subcontinente Indiano como um império submetido a um controlo centralizado. É amplamente consensual que Kautyla foi pioneiro em desenvolver uma “ciência política”, a qual representava um grande avanço, quer em relação às preocupações moralistas, espirituais e ascéticas da Filosofia Política indiana, quer em relação às suas especulações religiosas, as quais tinham sido até então dominantes. Kautyla esbateu a distinção entre moralidade e utilidade política. Muita da teoria política tradicional continua a ignorar o contributo de Kautyla relativamente à a moralidade na realpolitik e a sua persistente influência em sociedades não ocidentais. O seu tratado representa uma via significativa para explorar os dilemas relacionados com a procura ativa de finalidades éticas, sem perder de vista os imperativos atinentes ao pragmatismo politico – uma preocupação que se manteve até aos dias de hoje.Centre for Ethics, Politics, and Society - ELACH, University of Minho2023-09-29info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttps://doi.org/10.21814/eps.2.1.87eng2184-25822184-2574Bhattacharya, ShreyaSaikia, Kankanainfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2024-01-29T10:56:35Zoai:journals.uminho.pt:article/5279Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-20T01:58:42.049171Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY PRAGMATISMO POLÍTICO E ÉTICA NO ARTHASHASTRA DE KAUTYLA: CONTRADIÇÃO OU COMPLEMENTARIDADE |
title |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
spellingShingle |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY Bhattacharya, Shreya LYING AND HYPOCRISY IN POLITICS AND MORALITY, WITH RUTH GRANT |
title_short |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
title_full |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
title_fullStr |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
title_full_unstemmed |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
title_sort |
POLITICAL PRAGMATISM AND ETHICS IN KAUTYLA’S ARTHASHASTRA: CONTRADICTION OR COMPLEMENTARITY |
author |
Bhattacharya, Shreya |
author_facet |
Bhattacharya, Shreya Saikia, Kankana |
author_role |
author |
author2 |
Saikia, Kankana |
author2_role |
author |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Bhattacharya, Shreya Saikia, Kankana |
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv |
LYING AND HYPOCRISY IN POLITICS AND MORALITY, WITH RUTH GRANT |
topic |
LYING AND HYPOCRISY IN POLITICS AND MORALITY, WITH RUTH GRANT |
description |
Is there always an inherent contradiction between political pragmatism and ethics? This paper explores this through the classical Indian realist political treatise, the Arthashastra, written by Kautilya. He was the key advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya (c. 317-293 B.C.E), credited with first consolidating the Indian subcontinent into an empire under centralized control. Kautilya is widely agreed to be a pioneer in developing a ‘science of politics’- a great departure from the hitherto existing moralistic, spiritual, ascetic preoccupations and, religious speculations of Indian political philosophy. Kautilya blurred the distinction between morality and political utility. Much of political theory tradition remains oblivious to Kautilya’s contribution to morality in realpolitik and his continuing influence in non-Western societies. His treatise is a significant point of entry into exploring the dilemmas attached to active pursuance of ethical goals while also balancing the imperatives underpinning political pragmatism- a concern which has carried on to this day. |
publishDate |
2023 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2023-09-29 |
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
https://doi.org/10.21814/eps.2.1.87 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.21814/eps.2.1.87 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
eng |
language |
eng |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
2184-2582 2184-2574 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Centre for Ethics, Politics, and Society - ELACH, University of Minho |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Centre for Ethics, Politics, and Society - ELACH, University of Minho |
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação instacron:RCAAP |
instname_str |
Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação |
instacron_str |
RCAAP |
institution |
RCAAP |
reponame_str |
Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
collection |
Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
repository.name.fl_str_mv |
Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação |
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1799137071307161600 |