Hi, Reddit. Was just wondering as i know a lot about the negatives of colonialism such as torture exploitation, and the consequences of its legacy, if they were any benefits for the average colonised citizen during the colonial period?
You might be interested in some previous threads on the benefits of imperialism and colonialism for the colonized:
Africa and General Answers
We all hear about the bad sides of Imperialism, did the imperial empires ever do any good for the countries they colonised? - 138 comments, over 1 year old.
Many answers involving India, some on Africa, and a few on China and Japanese colonialism.
Was imperialism actually a good thing in some places? - 40 comments, over 2 years old.
This thread is lighter on the facts but delves into what makes this a controversial and difficult to parse subject in the modern day.
Was imperialism actually a good thing in some places? - 40 comments, over 2 years old.
This thread is light on the examples but mostly delves into the methodological issues with distinguishing good and bad effects of colonialism and imperialism from each other.
Was colonialism/white minority government 'good' for Africa? - 7 comments, over 2 years old.
There are a few reading recommendations here that make the case for the positives of the colonialism (though they are recommended with deep reservations).
India
How did British Imperialism in India help the humanitarian conditions of the native population? - 2 comments, over 10 months old.
Quite a few examples are listed and some analysis is done.
Was British Imperialism Harmful or Beneficial to India? - 30 comments, over 8 months old.
Quite a bit of arguing is done in this thread and several (internet accessible) sources analyzing the benefits of colonialism for the colonized are presented.