According to Kautilya’s Arthashastra, which of the following are correct? (2022)1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master the son was entitled to the legal status of the master’s son.Which of the statements given above are correct?
✓ Correct answer: b) 2 and 3 only
ExplanationAns: B Exp: The Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya (Chanakya), is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy.It offers detailed guidance on governance, law, diplomacy, and administration, making it one of the earliest works of political science.Statement 1 is incorrect: While Arthashastra mentions slavery in the context of debt and war, it does not explicitly mention enslavement purely as a judicial punishment.Slavery could result from non-payment of debt, voluntary enslavement, or war, but not directly as a punishment for a crime.Statement 2 is correct: The Arthashastra states that if a female slave gave birth to a son by her master, she would be granted her freedom.This was a provision that allowed the slave woman to be liberated from servitude upon giving birth to the master’s child, likely due to the importance of lineage and inheritance.Statement 3 is correct: The Arthashastra states that if a master fathered a child with a slave woman, the child would inherit the legal status of the master’s son, rights, and property, recognising their connection as legitimate.
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