But while historically China was an empire, centralised from a very early stage, Europe has since the fifth century been divided into dozens or hundreds of sovereign states; and that, more than anything else, helped the West to catch up and overtake the East.

If one state declined into cultural stasis, tyranny or religious fanaticism, another would profit. When France turned to absolutism under Louis XIV it didn’t drag the whole continent down with it, because England took advantage to race ahead. The British system of government was better and, by 1815, had finally won out. Competition and political diversity are the key to Europe’s historic success, even if – tragically – this competition often ended in violence, horrifically so in the 20^th century.

Europe was spiritually united, or at least for much of its history, which allowed for cross-cultural fertilisation and economic development (international banking was often run by religious institutions like the Templars). But this cultural unity was different to political unity.

And large empires don’t tend to be hugely pleasant places to live for their actual subjects. Of the rival empires Mr Verhoftstadt listed as dominating the 21^stcentury China is a horrific Black Mirror-like dystopia and Russia is back in its traditional role as authoritarian neighbourhood bully; India still suffers terrible poverty while the United States is in many ways dysfunctional, beset by political polarisation and intractable social problems. Forgive me if this little European does not look forward to this exciting new world of empire.

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Ed West’s book Tory Boy is published by Constable

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