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Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: When Ancient India Beat Machiavelli to the Punch
Jul 18, 2024
Ancient India's Arthashastra predates Machiavelli's 'The Prince' by 2,000 years, outlining similar ruthless strategies. The podcast explores parallels between both texts and discusses unethical tactics for rulers. The hosts take a Machiavellian traits test from the 1970s and banter about human nature.
29:57
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Quick takeaways
- The Arthashastra predates Machiavelli's 'The Prince' by almost 2,000 years, revealing ancient India's early advocacy of ruthless statecraft.
- Arthashastra merges Confucianism and legalism, reflecting a governance approach emphasizing divine authority and strategic manipulation.
Deep dives
History and Comparison of Machiavelli and Arthashastra
The podcast delves into the history of Machiavelli and the Arthashastra, highlighting their similarities and differences. While Machiavelli's 'The Prince' is often associated with manipulative behavior, it is revealed that the ideas of cold-hearted statecraft actually originated in ancient India, nearly 2,000 years before Machiavelli. The Arthashastra, attributed to Chanakya, provides insights into political manipulation, espionage, and strategies for rulers, predating Machiavelli's work by centuries.
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Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode