Reclaiming The Roots: Kautilyan Principles And The Indian Conception Of Good Governance

Abstract

This article explores the indigenous Indian conception of good governance by revisiting Kautilya’s Arthashastra. While the modern discourse on governance is largely dominated by Western models and global indices, ancient Indian political thought—particularly Kautilya’s administrative treatise—offers a deeply contextual and pragmatic model grounded in ethics, welfare, and institutional efficacy. The paper argues that Kautilya's framework, with its emphasis on justice, accountability, public welfare (yogakshema), and regulated use of coercive authority (danda), remains relevant to contemporary policy challenges. By comparing these principles with modern democratic ideals such as rule of law, citizen-centric administration, and ethical leadership, the article highlights the potential of Kautilyan thought in informing a distinctively Indian path to governance reform.