Who is Kautilya from Prisons We Choose to Live Inside and what is their importance?

Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, was an Indian writer. He authored a book on government more than two thousand years ago. His book, called the Arthásàstra, is usually found only in specialist libraries. Lessing is impressed with his work because of its level-headedness, and because he describes it as the latest in a long line of such writings.