Most colonized places were net money-losers for the colonizer for most of their history
But then why did people keep conquering and colonizing new lands?
More importantly, there are a few "control-group" countries which were not colonized while their neighbors were, like Siam (modern Thailand) and Ethiopia, and they don't seem better off than their neighbors.
There is also Japan, which was better off than its neighbors. In 1905 Japan was strong enough to win a war against Russia.
But then why did people keep conquering and colonizing new lands?
Because conquering new lands helps spread the meme that one should conquer as much as one can.
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.
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