Historian say we over rated ourself when we think the west single handed create the modern world, in reality, the west contributed very little

While the modern western world, believe the west as the prime mover of modernization of the world, both within the field of innovation and ideology.  Many academic research suggest the west serious over rated its influence in world history.  With the exception of the Greeks and the Romans, western influence is mostly limited to the post industrial revolution era of 19th century.  Prior to that starting from the dark ages, it was unquestionably, that it was Asia and Middle East that lead the way in the modernization of the world, in both the field of technology and innovation

Within the Book, Lost Colony: The Untold Story of China's First Great Victory over the West, Dr. Tonio Andrade used the 17th century China Dutch war, as a case study to actively make comparison between pre 19th century West vs Asia.  Within the book he wrote

"The traditional narrative portrayed Europe as a beacon of enlightenment in a benighted world.  In contrast, the revisionists see the rise of the west as part of a broader pattern of Eurasian development, a deep history of shared innovations in which Asian societies were prime movers." (Andrade, 2013)

Andrade also argue that, military hardware such as fire arm, is in fact innovation of China, dated as far back as 12th century and later past to the west, rather then a western innovation, like how the west traditionally think.

“indeed, until the 1970s, historians in the west believed that the gun itself was a European invention and that china, although it invented gunpowder, didn’t think to put it into metal tubes and use it to hurl projectiles, now we know that the first true guns emerged in china as early as the mid-1100s.  They became a mainstay of chinese armies in the violent wars that preceded the establishment of the Ming dynasty in 1368... Thus, the Military revolution must be viewed as a Eurasia-wide phenomenon.  It began in china and spread through the world, eventually reaching the fractious and warlike states of Europe, who took up the new technologies rapidly and then brought them back, honed through a couple centuries of violent warfare, to be just-as-eagerly taken up in Japan, Korea, and china” (Andrade, 2013)

Please click on this link to read Dr. Tonio Andrade article: http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9525.html

According to a paper published by St John University in the US, it can be argue, prior to 19th century, Eastern influence on the west goes beyond technology, but also within the field of ideology, governing, economic, law and industry, especially 18th century US.  These Eastern value became the forefather of modern western value, such as all men are born as equals, which actively replace traditional western values, such as the blood of a noble is better then the blood of a peasant.  (In fact even today, many people from Far East Asia, find the Europeans referring to royal and none royal relationship, as royal and commoners, as highly inappropriate, as many East Asians felt, both royals and none royals are commoners and equals.) 

The paper used Benjamin Franklin as a case study, arguing that his ideology and vision for America have a profound influence on the US (which later have a major influence on the west), but Benjamin Franklin's ideology and his vision of US was also greatly influence by far Eastern ideology, especially Confucius Ideology, even pointing out at some stage Benjamin Franklin even tried to promote Confucius value, to replace existing western value.  In another paper published by Business History Conference, which, unfortunately, most of the paper was sealed from none members, so I can't see the detail, it seem to be suggesting an idea that 18th century Japanese Business value, also have a great influence on Benjamin Franklin's vision for America economy.

He (Benjamin Franklin) had a clear vision of the road America should take and he spent time in helping to make sure that it would be achieved.5 His ideas and visions helped to lay the foundation for the United States of America, as we know it today. (St. John University, 2004)

Franklin knew that the breaking of the old world was a long process, in the depths of his own under-consciousness he hated England, hated Europe, and hated the whole corpus of the European being. He wanted to be American. (St. John University, 2004)

Amazed by Confucius moral philosophy, Franklin introduced Confucianism to public readers in North America for the first time. 34 In 1737, Franklin carried a series of papers, titled “From the Morals of Confucius” in his weekly magazine, Pennsylvania Gazette.35 In this essay he introduced to his readers the content of Confucius moral philosophy. (St. John University, 2004)

[Confucius moral principle] concludes, that the principle of Business of a Man is to rectifies his Mind, and so well to rule his Heart, that his Passions might always be calm; and if it happen that they be excited, he ought to be mov’d no further than is necessary, in a word, that he may regulate them according to right Reason. For as for instance, adds he, if we suffer our selves to be transported with excessive Anger, that is to say, if we fall into a rage without any cause, or more than we ought when we have Reason, we may conclude, that our mind had not the Rectitude it ought to have. If we condemn and mortally hate a person, by reason of certain Defects that we observe in him, and render not Justice to his good and excellent Qualities, if endowed therewith, if we permit our selves to be troubled by a too great Fear; if we abandon our selves to an immoderate Joy, or to an excessive Sorrow, it can not be said that our Mind is in the State wherein it ought
to be, that it has its rectitude and uprightness. (Benjamin Franklin, 1737)

When discussing the efficient management of the state government, Franklin noticed the efficiency of the Chinese imperial governmental statistics system. He hoped that the government of Pennsylvania could learn something from the system. (St. John University, 2004)

In 1784, the Society of Cincinnatus was established. Some tried to use this organization, which formed during the last period of the American Revolution, to serve as means of bestowing a type of hereditary
nobility on all the soldiers who had fought on the American side.  Franklin stood up to show his position concerning the direction American should take. He opposed firmly the concept of establishing any kind of hereditary aristocracy in United States political system. He used the example of China to
promote his argument against it.  (St. John University, 2004)

Among the Chinese, the most ancient, and from long Experience the wisest of Nations, honour does not descend, but ascends. If a man from his Learning, his Wisdom, or his Valour, is promoted by the Emperor to the Rank of Mandarin, his Parents are immediately entitled to all the same Ceremonies of Respect from the People, that are establish'd as due to the Mandarin himself; on the supposition that it must have been knowing to the Education, Instruction, and good Example afforded him by his Parents, that he was rendered capable of serving the Publick.  This ascending Honour is therefore useful to the State, as it encourages Parents to give their Children a good and virtuous Education. But the descending Honour, to Posterity who could have no Share in obtaining it, is not only groundless and absurd, but often hurtful to that Posterity, since it is apt to make them proud, disdaining to be employ'd in useful Arts, and thence falling into Poverty, and all the Meannesses, Servility, and Wretchedness attending it; which is the present case with much of what is called the Noblesse in Europe. (Benjamin Franlin, Society of Cincinnatus, 1784)

Please visit this article at: http://gepcapital.com/franklinchina.pdf

(PS: It should also be important to note, from 202BC~1644AC, China use a three level government system. Federal, State(Province) and district, the government of each level is granted the power of self govern.  But State can not contradict Federal, district can not contradict the state it belongs to, which is the same as the Federal and State system use in modern US.  The abolish of this system, after 1644, by decreasing the governing power of state and district government, played a major role, that lead to increase corruption in China, which play a major role, in why the west was able to surpass China, by 19th century.  By 1911, when China became a Republic, this system was been reestablished in a democratic manner, but once again abolished in 1950, after the Communist took power and reestablished the failed system from 1644~1911.  

From 1368AC~1644AC China use a 4 house system, legislative, administration, anti corruption and defense. The power of administration, anti corruption and defense is within the chancellor appoint to various house, assign by the Emperor, each chancellor have a house secretary to assist him.  The power of legislative is within the Emperor, with the Chancellor propose law and the Emperor has the power to either approve or denier it.  However, most Emperor choose to appoint himself as the Chancellor of all three house and appoint a single secretary as Chancellor's secretary of all three house, making the Chancellor secretary's in every way equal to the modern US secretary of State.  By 1644, all three houses were officially combine into one and the chancellor is abolish, to have the power of the house vast on the Emperor, instead.  The combine of the three houses, is equal to modern US executive government and its power is vasted on the President whom is the head of state, just like the Emperor of China was the head of state.  After, the established of the Republic of 1911, this system was also seen as fail system and the previous system was been reestablished, separating the executive government into administration (include defense), anti corruption and human resource (appoint all none elected federal government officials, whose appointment is not otherwise stated by the constitution.  The President, replace the Emperor and unlike before, the President can't appoint himself as chancellor.  The system later been used by the Communist after took over, is unclear to this article.  It give us good reason to speculate, whether the ancient far East governing system, have a influence on modern US system, probably as much as the Romans did.)

(PPS: While the west predominantly think of it self as the founder and world leader of the modern value of equality, freedom, human right and not to differentiate people base on difference in race, religion, culture, heritage, social class or believe.  Many westerners whom been to far East Asia excluding Communist China, felt Far East Asia, is much further develop and more advance then the west, in such arena.  Historical evidence also prove far East Asia, believe in these values, centuries pre dating the west, tracing back to at least 3000 years ago, it was recorded, in 1950s the Chinese Communist Party felt the need to outlaw, suppress and kill supporters of these traditional Chinese value and replace it with Communist value of hating people of different race, culture and heritage, to secure their power.  To do so, the Communist spend over 20 years killing 1/2 of China's existing population, destroying and outlawing all text of traditional Chinese values, including Buddhism ideology and Confucius ideology and in the same time promote Communist ideology and Mao ideology, which is to differentiate people base on race, heritage and culture and to hate people of different race, heritage and culture, by teaching these ideology to every children, since 1st year in school.  Even so, it is still only after the Tienanmen massacre, did these Communist value, finally became the mainstream value in China and original far East value, became side line in China, proving these value was extreme well established in China, which is why the Communist need to go to such extreme, yet still take such a long time, to get rid of it and replace it with their ideals.)

The following video, present further information of what I am talking about

During the dark and middle ages, Egypt invented the modern university system, Middle East was the prime mover in modernizing our understanding of physic, math and architectural.  They also invented the modern hospital ward system, which haven't change in 1000 years.