It was due to firearm refinement from constant wars in Europe and some better ship building techniques, and then the industrial revolution. Pretty hard to compete with. Nothing to do with liberalism or human rights. Actually much of the West's advancements in science during the Renaissance relied heavily on the data collected by Islamic astronomers, And Big empires fall so that others can rise in their place. Been happening thru out our human history ussr and United States are no different to it.