Europe was a little different in that no single power was really able to conquer it all after the fall of the Roman Empire. The political fragmentation and dive

Europe was a little different in that no single power was really able to conquer it all after the fall of the Roman Empire. The political fragmentation and diversity of Europe may have actually contributed to the growth of commerce, shifting the balance of power away from aristocratic rulers and toward the merchant class. Europe also has better farming land and more stable waterways than China, which allowed more efficient use of farming technology, keeping famine at bay and allowing the region to support a larger urban population, which had sufficient free leisure time for innovation. Whereas drought and famine were constant threats, and subsistence farming was an all-consuming effort for most people in China up until the late 20th century.