6 The Spectre of “Amoral Realism” in International Relations: A Classical Indian Overview

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents ix
3. Acknowledgments xi
4. Setting the Stage, Part I: Overview of the Project 1
5. Setting the Stage, Part II: Why Compare the Classical Political Thought of China and India? 22
6. Theme I Methodology
7. 1 Mining the Past to Construct the Present: Some Methodological Considerations from India 39
8. 2 Some Methodological Reflections: In Defense of Philosophy of Culture and Thick Generalizations 59
9. Theme II Political Leadership
10. 3 How Do Xunzi and Kautilya Ponder Interstate Politics? 77
11. 4 Ashoka’s Dhamma as a Project of Expansive Moral Hegemony 96
12. Theme III Amoral Realism
13. 5 A Comparative Study on the International Political Thoughts of Han Feizi and Kautilya (Chanakya) 119
14. 6 The Spectre of “Amoral Realism” in International Relations: A Classical Indian Overview 133
15. Theme IV Empire
16. 7 The Particularity of Ancient China as an Empire 155
17. 8 Ideas of Empire in Ancient India in a Comparative Frame 170
18. Theme V Just War
19. 9 The Mahābhārata, Mencius, and the Modern World: Reflections on Dharmayuddha and Ānṛśaṁsya 189
20. 10 Mencius on Just War A Comparison with Political Thought in Ancient India 208
21. Theme VI Diplomacy
22. 11 India’s Diplomacy in Absentia: Violence, Defense, Offense 223
23. 12 From Ancient Silk Road to Modern Belt and Road Initiative: A Signaling Approach to Trust-Building across Narratives 241
24. Theme VII Balancing, Hegemony, and Mandalas
25. 13 Balancing in Ancient China 267
26. 14 International Order in Ancient India 284
27. List of Contributors 311
28. Index 313