[edwcross]

Well, if this is not mentioned at all during history classes, at least it prevents them from being taught that "British brought prosperity and development to all of its colonies, making the world better for everyone" and "they should be thankful that we went there and did all those things, how nice of us, and how rude of them not to thank us again and again!".

[hermitcrab]

>"they should be thankful that we went there and did all those things, how nice of us"

I think that is a tacit assumption that a lot of British people make.

[concordDance]

I think it comes from the general belief that poverty is bad and a simplistic view of cause and effect. "Before the Empire they were really poor, with high mortality, after the empire they were much wealthier with lower mortality".

It's just going to be the default view if one does not have further information.