system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 how Empire building nations historically justified what they were doing and why they were right or wrong?

With particular reference to the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire.
gpt
It's all about the money. Colonies are where the money is, and money is all the justification anyone has ever needed to exploit untapped resources and perhaps exploit a few locals too.

American schools still teach a version of American history that depicts early American colonists as fleeing the tyrannies of Europe to start a new life of enlightened freedom in America. In fact most American colonies were European startup companies: the colonies had investors in Europe, they had a business plan, they had trade goods, they sold raw materials back to Europe, and they enticed people to join their colony for financial gains, "own your land, be your own boss" and all that, a very attractive proposition to lower income serf who couldn't afford to rent a farm from a feudal lord.

Behind every empire expansion there is financial gain. Sure the foot soldiers that fight the natives are told "You are doing God's work." and all that, but really it's about getting the gold, oil, and soil under the native's feet, and the natives either cooperate with the business plan or killing them is added to the cost of doing business.

So it's all about providing a stable environment in which to do business.