With the emergence of imperial political organisation, there took place large scale growth in trade, commerce, technology and industrial production. This is revealed through the history of ancient civilisations like those of India, China, Egypt, Greece and Rome.

With few exceptions, now a differentiation between the scientists and religious or priestly classes took place. The separation, however, was often hazy. With the decline of the Graeco-Roman civilisation and the rise of Christianity, Church had emerged in Europe as the most powerful social and political institution.

It was a major setback to the process of differentiation between religious and scientific knowledge. All knowledge was now subject to approval of religious authority represented by the Church.

Its seminaries were the only institutional organizations recognized for generation and communication of knowledge. This pattern continued for several centuries until it was challenged by forces of renaissance and religious reformation during the 15" and 16" centuries.

During this period, contributions to science made by Galileo, Copernicus and Newton and the religious reforms initiated by Luther and Calvin made it possible that humanistic, rational and empirical forms of knowledge could slowly emerge.