Books like Arthashastra by Kautilya

A concise guide that distills 3,000 years of political thought into 48 practical principles for gaining, maintaining, and defending power in personal and professional arenas.

A seminal 16th‑century Italian treatise, The Prince offers practical guidance for rulers, arguing that ends can justify morally dubious means to secure power and glory.

Adam Smith’s seminal 1776 treatise that laid the groundwork for modern economic theory, presented here in a reprint of Edwin Cannan’s 1904 edition with a new preface by economist George J. Stigler.

Moisés Naím explores how today’s leaders wield less absolute power, as micro‑level forces challenge established elites in politics, business, and society.

Engish Translation of Chanakya's(Also known as Kautilya) Arthasastra by R.Shamasastry,published in 1915. Rudrapatna Shamasastry (1868–1944) was a Sanskrit scholar and librarian at the Oriental Research Institute Mysore. He discovered and published the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy. In 1905, Shamasastry discovered the Arthashastra among a heap of manuscripts during the course of his official work in Oriental Research Institute Mysore. He transcribed, edited and published the Sanskrit edition in 1909. He proceeded to translate it into English, publishing it in 1915 Until this discovery, the Arthashastra was known only through references to it in other works. This discovery was "an epoch-making event in the history of the study of ancient Indian polity". It altered the perception of ancient India and changed the course of history studies, notably the false belief of European scholars at the time that Indians learnt the art of administration from the Greeks.While going the through the book,you will be amazed at the intellect and strategy ancient Indian political class and the strategies are relevant even today.