The Maratha Political Ideas of the Eighteenth Century

This article investigates Maratha political thought by analysing the treatise known as the Rājnīti or ‘Rijnnite’ attributed to Rāmachandrapant Amatya and issued as an edict by Sambhājī II in 1716. The work combines a historical survey of the Maratha state—from Shivaji’s rise to the events of the early eighteenth century—with the maxims of classical Hindu statecraft. The author argues that Maratha administrators drew heavily on the Nīti‑śāstras and the Arthaśāstra while adapting them to their own circumstances. Chapters recount Shivaji’s campaigns and administrative reforms, illustrating how he balanced dharma with pragmatic warfare. The text emphasises the Mandala theory of alliances, advising the ruler to identify four types of neighbouring states—friends, enemies, mediators and neutrals—and to adjust policy accordingly. It also stresses the importance of dharma as a guiding principle, arguing that political success is inseparable from moral duty. The author notes that Ramachandrapant’s narrative repeatedly draws parallels between Maratha actions and the strategies recommended by Kautilya. Notably, the treatise comments on the growing presence of European powers (referred to as Topikars or ‘hat‑wearers’) on India’s western coast, recognising them as a new type of political actor and cautioning against underestimating their naval strength. By examining the Rājnīti in the context of Maratha correspondence and other regional writings, the article concludes that eighteenth‑century Maratha elites were not merely warriors but thoughtful political thinkers who sought to integrate tradition with contemporary realities.

AI-generated summary, automatically checked against the article text.