The Thrasymachus debate is still alive and well.

[Phil Ayesho]

I guess if persia had not kicked Greece's ass, then Alexander never would have conquered the known world and spread greek culture far and wide... which would have prevented the Arab scientific accomplishments during the dark Ages that led to the renaissance....

 

[mynameisnobody]

The modern world, as we recognize it, or perhaps the modern Western world, only became possible after the Persian Wars. Modern liberalism, the Enlightenment, the First Amendment, "adult" comix, and most of the essentials of modern life would be inconceivable under the dominance of the Persia of that period. Now that was a while ago; would historical Persia have evolved in a more liberal direction under other circumstances? There seems little reason to expect so.