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Ethical Leadership in Indian Political Thought: Insights from Kautilya and Mahatma Gandhi

Author(s) Jetal J. Panchal
Country India
Abstract Ethical leadership is also an important aspect of political theory and practice over time and cultures because it provides support of legitacy in governance, social unity and moral responsibility. Ethical leadership within the Indian context is entrenched in both philosophical and cultural traditions of the past, which place a great deal of emphasis on the interrelation between personal virtue, social responsibility (Dharma), and political accountability. This essay focuses on the Indian political thinkers who made a personal mark in world history, Kautilya, the ancient strategist, Arthashastra author, and Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest leader of the Indian independence movement whose ideas of ethical leadership, despite their significant divergence, can be used in the modern political arena. Kautilya is more pragmatic in his approach to statecraft, strategic vision, and moral justification of the action by its outcomes to the stability and prosperity of societies and has an instrumental and contextual view of ethics. Gandhi, on the contrary, is a proponent of moral idealism, nonviolence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), and servant leadership and emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior regardless of the expediency of politics. This paper explains both similarities, including the interest in the common good, and differences especially on the use of coercion, power, and virtue in oneself by comparing their views on morality, power, and leadership roles and responsibilities, as well as the connection between means and end. The paper also examines how these frameworks are applicable to modern governance and proposes that the combination of strategic pragmatism and moral integrity is useful in enhancing leadership performance and moral responsibility. In conclusion, the discussion highlights the fact that Indian political thought contributes to a multivariate realization of ethical leadership that integrates traditional knowledge with the contemporary issues and valuable solutions that can be offered by the leaders to act in the complex sociopolitical environment.
Keywords Ethical leadership, Kautilya, Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Political Thought, Dharma and Morality
Field Sociology > Education
Published In Volume 7, Issue 3, March 2026
Published On 2026-03-30
DOI https://doi.org/10.70528/IJLRP.v7.i3.2034
Short DOI https://doi.org/hbvwcz
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