History is the best teacher. From the age of discoveries (when even the Ming dynasty ceased its expeditions for Europe its golden age only started to begin, and we with our blood did all we achieved) to the industrial revolution (fueled by slaves in new found colonies, but these slaves were sold by the local kings and stuff without a second thought). We will never know why in Africa or America there were no their own China or Poland, for example (or Napoleon or Vasco da Gama). When the gigantic treasure ships set sail from the Middle Kingdom, when the bloodthirsty samurai fought their Imjin War, heavily armored and armed with guns, when Cortez fought the aztecs, what did Africans or Americans do? :)