Hindu Administrative Institutions c6.s2.20

c6.s2.20

This state of anarchy presupposes a state of nature where one finds perpetual conflict between strong and weak individuals in a group with the result that the weak are defeated and subjugated by the strong. This then indicates what we to-day understand by the terms, the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest. This is surely the individualistic theory with a vengeance. People of sanity grew sick of this state of affairs and desired peace. Necessity for a powerful hand to dominate the people was badly felt, and the result was the code of laws which goes by the general term, *daṇḍa nīti*, the guiding feature of which is the institution of kingship.¹