It explains the practice of trade and commerce in the Mauryan era, where a monarch was the apex of administration. The Arthashastra was one of the earliest books on the subject of political economy, and explained the art of creating and preserving wealth and other such economic concepts. The ancient book not only holds the views of Chanakya, but also the ideas and thoughts of the learned men of that time. The book also talks about leadership, and puts down the doctrine that a king must practice in his personal life, and while discharging his official duties in order to be an effective ruler. In Arthashastra: The Science of Wealth, the author provides an effective rendering of the original work, stressing on the art of statecraft and wealth generation.