Kautilya

Machiavelli

Page 124: “For the fort, the treasury and the army all depend on the people; so do the reservoirs. All economic activity has its source in the countryside. Bravery, stability and cleverness are also found among the country people (8.1.28-31).”

P 169: “Sons are of three kinds: a wise son is one who understands dharma and artha when taught and also practices these. A lazy son is one who understands what he is taught but does not practice them. A wicked son is he who hates dharma and artha and [therefore] is full of evil.”

Page 664: “There are three types of aggressors: (i) The righteous aggressor is satisfied with submission. (ii) The greedy aggressor is satisfied with seizing land and goods. (iii) The monstrous aggressor is satisfied only when he takes the land, goods, wives, sons and [even the] life of the defeated.”

Page 52: “For of men one can, in general, say this: They are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain.” He adds, “Men are less nervous of offending someone who makes himself lovable, than someone who makes himself frightening. For love attaches men by ties of obligation, which, since men are wicked, they break whenever their interests are at stake. But fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them. Still, a ruler should make himself feared in such a way that, if he does not inspire love, at least he does not provoke hatred. For it is perfectly possible to be feared and not hated. You will only be hated if you seize the property or the women of your subjects and citizens. ”