What are you considering the "West"? Prior to 1600, almost nothing of importance came out of Europe. For the last 400 years, Europe and the US have dominated t

What are you considering the "West"? Prior to 1600, almost nothing of importance came out of Europe. For the last 400 years, Europe and the US have dominated technologically. Maybe you mean the last few hundred years? I think this is what the parent comment was getting at. For most of history, what we now consider "China" had -- by far -- the largest population. To think that nothing much came from there is a bit naive.