Corruption causes misuse of government treasury, administrative inefficiency and obstruction in the path of national development“. Discuss Kautilya’s views.
Corruption has been a challenge for administration since ancient times. The kautilyan treatise of Arthashastra discusses in depth about the administrative set up for efficient and effective governance. He has laid great emphasis on managing finance. He has explained why corruption occurs and what are its impact and remedies.
Kautilyan bureaucracy was a highly centralized merit based system entrusted with important functions including the responsibility of revenue assessment and collection.
Why corruption is inevitable?
Kautilya feared that government servants being in a position of power would embezzle some of the amount from government treasury for themselves. He has made a comparison of government money to that of honey. He states that it is impossible to not taste the honey or poison at the tip of tongue. In a similar manner government officials eat away part of the king’s revenue.
Why detection is difficult?
Kautilya compares government functionaries to fish under water. He says it is difficult to find out when the fish drinks water or how much it drinks. Similarly, Corruption by government functionies are difficult to estimate and detect.
How to detect corruption?
Kautilya suggests steps to find out any embezzlement of funds. He says when there is a decrease in the revenue collection (the government functionary might be misappropriating funds).
Why corruption occurs?
He suggests officials in position of power give into temptation. He compares them to horses at work whose temper keeps on changing. He also believes that human nature is fickle and selfish, making one prone to corruption. Kautilya also considered lack of appropriate remuneration to government functionaries as a cause of corruption
Remedial measures suggested:
- Constant vigil, through a system of checks and supervision to monitor the functioning of government offices
- Sufficient remuneration to bureaucracy to enjoy ‘bodily comfort’. (He suggested 1/4th of the government revenue to be spent on salaries.)
- Putting in place an ‘information organization’. He envisaged having informers in each organization to report about corruption.
- Strong punitive measures including fines, confiscation of property, jail terms, etc. Measures such as naming and shaming too were envisaged to have sufficient detterance effect.
- Steps should be taken to change the psychology of officers to keep them upright.
- Follow of rule of law and an impersonalized, impartial, non-emotive approach towards administration.
Corruption has been prevalent since the ancient times. Kautilya clarifies corruption as an errant and deviant behavior which should not only be disincentivized but punished appropriately in order to achieve the goal of welfare of nation.
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