Gurmeet Kanwal (Ed.). 2016. The New Arthashastra: A Security Strategy for India
| DOI | 10.1177/2347797018799885 |
| Published date | 01 December 2018 |
| Date | 01 December 2018 |
| Author | Vikas Kumar |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
Book Reviews 323
consensus on democratic government among the political elite; and a virtually
uninterrupted democratic transition process since the last two elections, an
unprecedented milestone in its history. However, the author recommends that
these trends must be supported by reforms in education, health, economic restruc-
turing and good governance (p. 201), thereby highlighting some of the major
weaknesses in the state’s institutional wherewithal.
By virtue of its geo-strategic location and status as a nuclear power, rising
instability in Pakistan has been a cause for concern in international policy circles
as well in the community of scholars and political commentators. Much of the
literature on state-making in Pakistan presents an incomplete picture, one that is
primarily pessimistic and alarmist. In contrast, Rais offers a nuanced, comprehen-
sive and forward-looking perspective, a refreshing departure from the failed-state
narrative on Pakistan. While he does not shy away from addressing Pakistan’s ills
and shortcomings, he also acknowledges its progress and the many strengths the
country can build upon. The book is a valuable addition to the literature on state-
building and post-colonialism as well as on the history and politics of Pakistan for
students and experts. For policy-makers in Pakistan and stakeholders in global
governance, the book provides succinct and practicable recommendations to
place the country on a trajectory of societal progress and cooperation.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not
reflect the official policy or position of any organization or government.
Saira Yamin
Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for
Security Studies, Honolulu, HI
Senior Research Fellow, Center for
Global Policy, Washington, DC
E-mail: sairayamin@gmail.com
Gurmeet Kanwal (Ed.). 2016. The New Arthashastra: A Security
Strategy for India. Noida: Harper Collins Publishers. 436 pp. ISBN:
978-93-5177-751-9
DOI: 10.1177/2347797018799885
The re-emergence of Asia as an economic powerhouse after two centuries and
rapid technological innovation have brought us to the threshold of a change of the
kind that was last seen in the early nineteenth century, when the Industrial
Revolution reconstituted the political and economic landscapes. Unlike the transi-
tions after the Second World War and the Cold War that redistributed power within
the West, the nineteenth-century-type transitions are extended processes with
relatively uncertain outcomes as both the distribution of power within and across
societies and the notion and bases of power, its purposes and the self-identity of
the potential bearers of power change simultaneously. Countries/societies need
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