Is it possible for Earth to have evolved quicker than it did in terms of socialness and technology?

Question

As a writer, I've created a world where the year 1786 is equivalent to 2019 but is a little more advanced in a few ways. Scientifically, would it be possible for Earth to have evolved socially and technologically quicker than it did in real life for human life?

sevensevens · Accepted Answer

The easiest explanation would be the Dark Ages not happening
It was not a great time to be alive.  The Roman Empire had fallen, the Catholic Church was in control of scientific advancement, plagues were ravaging Europe.  Did I mention invaders?
You've got to make up only 233 years.  The Dark Ages lasted 800 or 900ish years.
Some thoughts...

Medieval Europeans never de-urbanizes, and everyone stays educated.

The Catholic Church could have embraced Galileo's model of the solar system.

Rome never falls and continues it's research unimpeded from invaders.  Would prevent relearning in Europe in the 1000's

EDIT:
I'm focused on changing European history because in 1786 Europe was in the middle of Colonialism.  To be close to 2019 you'd probably still need this period as several major 20th-century revolutions were against European powers (such as the one lead by Gandhi in India).

Robbie Goodwin · Answer

Yes, of course - even though the whole Question is way off-topic in Worldbuilding SE.
Assuming you meant not Earth, but civilisation, weren’t the greatest developments in human history iron, steam, penicillin and simple hygiene – in no particular order?
Which of those wasn’t a chance discovery? Most obviously the age of steam is supposed to have come about when someone noticed a kettle lid bouncing up and down. Why could that not have happened 500 or 1,000 years earlier?
Does “in real life for human life” have some special meaning, or is it just confused?
When 1786 is “equivalent to 2019 but a little more advanced in a few ways” should we just guess, or could you be specific?

user535733 · Answer

You only want 233 years? Easy enough, but social development and technological development have different spurs...and sometimes advance in one may lead to regression in the other.

New technologies and industries tend to develop and prosper in places with access to capital (banking), a trainable workforce (literacy/education), and reasonably fair dispute resolution (rule of law). You don't need all of those, but it sure helps.

Social development is a little trickier and more complicated in some ways...but weirdly simpler in others. Major changes in social attitudes can happen quickly in response to many stimuli (war, plague, famine) and/or perhaps a bit of leadership. The tough part is preventing regression when the situation changes.

Examples: Try dialing back on corruption and improving leadership in the Byzantine Empire or the Tang Dynasty, so that innovation could flourish. Or bring banking, cross-pollination, and innovation to the Pallava Empire of southern India right between Europe and China, Or change the impact of the Mongolian invasions and bubonic plagues.

Is it possible for Earth to have evolved quicker than it did in terms of socialness and technology?

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