Policy and Strategies for Dealing with Internal and External Threats

We decoded Kautilya Arthashastra Book 9 Chapter 5 for you, Here’s what you can learn from it:

Type of Danger Description Solution
External origin, Internal abetment Danger caused by foreigners carrying on an intrigue with local men Conciliation (sáma) and gifts (dána) to suppress local abetters
Internal origin, External abetment Danger caused by local men carrying on an intrigue with foreigners Policy of dissension and coercion, spies under guise of friends to inform foreigners, fiery spies to kill abetters
External origin, External abetment Danger caused by foreigners carrying on an intrigue with foreigners Policy of dissension and coercion, spies under guise of friends to inform foreign conspirators, fiery spies to kill abetters
Internal origin, Internal abetment Danger caused by local men carrying on an intrigue with local men Policy of conciliation for those who appear content, gifts for those who maintain purity of character, spies under guise of friend to tell the truth to the king, coercive measures as described in Chapter on “Awards of Punishments”
Priority Internal danger should be addressed first as it is more serious than external danger N/A

Note: Conciliation refers to pleasing a person with high rank and honour, while gifts refer to favour and remission of taxes or employment to conduct state-works. Spies may also be employed to inform and separate conspirators or to kill abetters with weapons or poison.

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