South
Asia- India did not develop the solid political and cultural institutions the
Chinese experienced, nor the high level of political interest of Greece and
Rome. Its greatest features, still observable today, were political diversity
and regionalism. The Guptas, for example, did not require a single language for
all their subjects. The development of a rigid caste system lies at the heart
of this characteristic. In its own way, the caste system promoted tolerance,
allowing widely different social classes to live next to each other, separated
by social strictures. Loyalty to caste superseded loyalty to any overall ruler.
Religion, particularly Hinduism, was the only uniting influence in Indian
culture.
http://history-world.org/india1.htm
http://history-world.org/india1.htm