[reillyse]

I’d argue that a local exploitative ruler is far preferable to a remote exploitative ruler. With the local ruler the wealth stays in the region. The plight of the inhabitants is more apparent to the ruler. With remote exploitation the wealth leaves the country and the country is sucked dry. The exploiter can ignore the results of the exploitation and just live large on the proceeds.

[lostlogin]

The British in India were a good example of this. The scale of the exploitation was truely incredible.