Peace And War Analysis

as the truth whatever is taught to him. Therefore, a prince should be taught what is dharma and artha, not what is unrighteous and materially harmful.” In conclusion we may say that Kautilya understood the link between character -building and nation-building.

3. WAR AND MILITARY STRATEGY

Of War, Kautilya states, “When advantages derivable from peace and war are of equal character, one should prefer peace; for disadvantages, such as the loss of power and wealth, and sojourning, and sin, are ever-attending upon war”. Kautilya also expressed that double policy in war and peace, meaning forming alliances with one nation and waging war against another, was desirable to staying unprejudiced or allied with another force exclusively, as it would
Machiavelli is quoted as stating that “A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank.” Machiavelli contends that a “prince” must have a established foundation for his nation, lest he be destroyed.“The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where the state is not well armed, it follows that where they are well armed they have good laws.” As an outspoken opposer of mercenary armies, Machiavelli was a proponent for building oneself a strong armed force and asserted that if an army was not sufficient enough to attack their opposers, they must focus on the fortification of their own territory to prevent a successful attack against them. Of peace, Machiavelli much like his predecessor Kautilya, discusses how peace must be exercised more often than war by expressing “in peace he should addict himself more to its exercise than in war; this he can do in two ways, the one by action, the other by study.” Machiavelli echoed such thoughts himself. Machiavelli’s advice to his prince is
(i) That helped the king in negotiating a more favorable treaty. He stated, “He who, gives a treacherous minister or a treacherous son or daughter as a hostage outmaneuvers the other [the receiver]. The receiver is outmaneuvered because the giver will strike without compunction at the weak point— i.e., the trust that the receiver has that the giver will let the hostage come to harm.” Secondly, it provided an advantage if hostility broke-out with another ruler. He suggested to establish a permanent wing for collection and analysis of latest information. His advice to a king was: “No enemy shall know his secrets. He shall, however, know all his enemy’s weaknesses. Like a tortoise, he shall draw in any limb of his that is exposed.” He recommended, “A king shall have his own set of spies, all quick in their work, in the courts of the enemy, the ally, the Middle, and the Neutral kings to spy on the kings as well as their eighteen types of high officials.” He added, “He shall always station envoys and clandestine agents in all states of the circle. These shall cultivate those acting against the interests of the conqueror and, while maintaining their own secrecy, destroy repeatedly such inimical persons.” Finally if the king wanted to get rid of land of poor quality. Kautilya stated, “If a settlement of a tract is likely to entail heavy losses or expenditure, a king shall first sell the land,