vigo wrote: There is such hate and waste of talent in the world today. It keeps us from moving forward.
Well, you've described one of the main characteristics of homo economicus culture. It ensures that the most profitable & exclusive systems/technologies survive, not necessarily the "best", or most universally accessible/beneficial systems. That's one of the reasons such an arrangement could never lead to a planet wide type one civilization, but will instead keep us mired in war & divisive competition - and lead to planet wide death & destruction.
The advantage of organizing into many local structures instead of large homogeneous continental structures is pretty simple - diversity. Many eggs, many baskets. Many autonomous regions, many unique approaches/solutions. The resistance comes from the economic top, because the more we carve up the political/religious structures, the more "chiefs" there will be, and the smaller each slice of the economic pie becomes.
Linnea wrote: In this case, however, I am asking if 'religion' - and this only from the view of religion (*and politics) being a form of social organization or control - is 'hard wired' into basic communal behavior.
Yes, I believe these things are "hardwired" into our aggregate psyche, and such control is probably a survival requirement. We always have, and always will form hierarchies of one sort or another. I think the question becomes - is humanity capable of creating a "culture" which will form universally beneficial power structures, rather than radically exclusive & parasitic ones.
Problem is the eggs are lined up like borg drones willing to take the shots or chips and obey their masters. These chicks need to crack their shells and get beyond the propaganda and think for themselves. 
). Among many others.