Forget Adam Smith: Meet the Real Father of Economics

Think Economics started in 1776? Think again. Meet Chanakya (Kautilya), the ancient Indian mastermind who wrote the "Arthashastra" in 300 BC. From the "Honeybee Tax Theory" to "Market Regulations" and "Public Welfare," Chanakya laid the foundation of modern finance 2,000 years before the West. Discover why he is the true Father of Economics.

If you open any modern textbook, they’ll tell you that Economics started in 1776 with Adam Smith. But here’s the truth: They’re about 2,000 years late. While the West was still figuring out basic trade, a man in India was already writing the world’s first complete manual on how to run a superpower. His name was Chanakya, and he didn't just understand money—he mastered it before the word 'Economics' even existed.

Before Chanakya, the world followed 'Matsya Nyaya'—the law of the fish, where the big fish eats the small fish. Basically, the strongest guy took everything. Chanakya changed the game. In his book, the Arthashastra, he laid out rules for consumer protection. He set fixed profit margins for merchants—5% for local goods, 10% for imports. He knew that if the public felt cheated, the market would crash. He wasn't just a philosopher; he was the world's first Market Regulator.

Chanakya understood Statistical Data. He ordered a census to count every person, every cow, and every gold coin in the empire. Why? Because he knew you can’t manage what you can’t measure. He created a 'Social Safety Net'—using tax money to support widows, orphans, and the disabled. Today we call this 'Welfare Economics.' In 300 BC, Chanakya called it 'Common Sense.' He proved that a kingdom’s strength isn’t its army, but its Treasury.

He didn't want India to be a closed box. He turned it into a global trade hub. He built the 'Grand Trunk Road' to connect markets and negotiated trade deals that brought Greek gold into Indian pockets. He understood 'Comparative Advantage'—importing what you need and exporting what you're best at—centuries before modern trade treaties were even a thought.

So, forget 1776. The science of wealth was born in Taxila. Chanakya wasn't just an advisor; he was the world’s first Great Economist. 

The question is: why are we only just catching up to him now?