This is why people often talk past one another when they say "capitalism". Because it just one thing to one person and cronyism to another. Where both capitalism and socialism, big surprise, are very broad terms.

It's easier to leave a small country. The distance from any city in it to another country is lower. You can hop in a boat in Singapore or Hong Kong, but that is much harder to in East Turkestan.

Then there is the likelihood of colonization or invasion in general and the ability of ideas to spread. Competition between governments is more intense.

It may be Europe got its technological advantage and property rights evolved more quickly there because of more competition between countries. But in the center of a large continent, change is slower.