A STUDY ON ANCIENT ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN INDIA: FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNANCE AND STATECRAFT

Ms. Ranjeeta Rahul Prajapati

Thakur Ramnarayan College of Arts & Commerce, Dahisar (East), Mumbai

Abstract : Ancient India developed a sophisticated tradition of economic thought and administrative practice long before the formal emergence of economics and public administration as academic disciplines. Texts such as the Arthashastra, Manusmriti, Vedic literature, and Buddhist writings reveal systematic approaches to taxation, public finance, welfare, governance, and ethical administration. This paper examines the economic philosophy and administrative mechanisms of ancient India, focusing particularly on Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Mauryan governance. It argues that ancient Indian thinkers viewed economic management as central to state stability and public welfare. The integration of ethical governance, structured bureaucracy, revenue regulation, and anti-corruption measures demonstrates that ancient India laid significant foundations for modern public administration.

Keywords:Administrative practice, Arthashastra, Manusmriti, Vedic literature, Mauryan governance, ancient Indian, anti-corruption, modern public administration.