Leader: AshokaAchievements: Political The Govern by dharma, Asoka first had to tell his people of his ideas. To do this he had special official trained to explain dharma. He also carved his policies on to great pillars, large rocks and stone tablets. With Ashoka's Buddhism there was little change regarding work, taxation, class relations, government bureaucracy and village politics It is the belief of many historians that Ashoka and another of political influence thought it better if Bindusara were elevated of his decision. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and cast. Economic He set up an extremely efficient organization to run the empire and taxed his subjects to pay for it. Chandra Gupta and Ashoka are able to unite Northern India using military force and economic benefits. Buddhism spreads rapidly because of the conversion of Ashoka. He had extensive roads built so that he could visit the far corners of india. He also improved conditions along these roads to make travel easier for his officials and to improve communication in the vast empire. Social: Early Buddhist writings suggest that asoka crushed attempts by members of his own family to gain the crown after bindusaras death. Having won the crown after bindusaras death. Having won the throne, he then began a war against the kingdom Kalinga, to the south. Asokas own rock inscriptions tell us that during the war 100 000 kalingans were killed and another 150 000 were captured Asoka was horrified at the suffering he had caused he vowed that he would never again kill to expand his empire, and he became a devout Buddhist. He decided that he would rule by dharma. It was based on the hindu and Buddhist idea of virtue or righteousness. He believed that he and his subjects: should tolerate all religious beliefs and should not kill living creatures, should show kindness to all, should respect the old and those in authority. The services he provided: Stopped hunting and banned meat-eating in his own household. He banned animal sacrifices, he set up hospitals (for animals as well as people), he built great roads lined with fruit trees that provided both shade and food. He also had wells dug near roads. He founded monasteries and encouraged art and architecture. He sent missions to other indian states and to other parts of the world to try to convert them to government by dharma. In this way the people of this island we now call sri lanka became Buddhist and even today Buddhism in Sri Lanka is very similar to the Buddhism of Asokas time. Besides being a religious man who wanted to improve life for the people. Asoka was a practical emperor. He had refused to use war to expand his kingdom but he was eager to maintain its size. He set up an extremely efficient organization to run the empire and taxed his subjects to pay for it. Though he would not again start a war, he kept a very large army so that no one would be tempted to attack him and he threatened to use force as a last resort to punish the rebellion against his authority. When he felt it was necessary, he even applied the death penalty.