Kautilya (Arthashastra, 4^th century BCE)

[10] Machiavelli (Prince, 513 CE)

ON Vices

Page 137: “Anger makes one the object of hatred, creates enemies and brings suffering on oneself. Excessive greed and lust bring about humiliation, loss of wealth and association with undesirable persons like thieves, gamblers, hunters, singers and musicians. [While both have had bad consequences,] being hated is worse than humiliation; whereas one humiliated is held in thrall by his own people and by enemies, a hated one is destroyed.”

Anticipating and Avoiding Discontent

Page 158: “Spies in the guise of ascetics shall find out who among the following are happy and who discontented:

Those dependent on the King for grains, cattle or money; those who help the King in prosperity and adversity; those who [help to] restrain an angry relative or region and those who repel enemies and forest chiefs.

The contented shall be appreciated by giving them additional honors and wealth.

In order to make the discontented happy, conciliation shall be the method used. If [conciliation fails and] they continue to be unhappy, they shall be used to collect taxes and fines so that they may incur the wrath of the public. When the people come to hate them, they shall be eliminated either by inciting a popular revolt against them or by secret punishment. Alternatively, they may be sent to work in mines and factories while keeping their wives and sons under close security in order to prevent them from being used by enemies.”

Ch. 19, page 58: “For whoever set up the government of that country understood the powerful are ambitious and insolvent, and judged it necessary they should be bridled so they could be controlled, but on the other hand he recognized the hatred most people have for the powerful, whom they have reason to fear, and the consequent need to reassure and protect the great. So he did not this to be the responsibility of the king, in order to avoid his alienating the powerful by favoring the people or alienating the people by favoring the powerful, and he established an independent tribunal, whose task it is, without incurring blame for the king, to crush the powerful and defend the weak. This arrangement is as intelligent and prudent as could be, and makes a substantial contribution to the security of the king and the stability of the kingdom. This institution enables us to recognize a significant general principle: Rulers should delegate responsibility for unpopular actions, while taking personal responsibility for those that will win favor. And once again I conclude a ruler should treat the powerful with respect, but at all costs he should avoid being hated by the people.”