Until very late, European colonialism appears to have been highly legitimate and for good reasons. Millions of people moved closer to areas of more intensive colonial rule, sent their children to colonial schools and hospitals, went beyond the call of duty in positions in colonial governments, reported crimes to colonial police, migrated from non-colonized to colonized areas, fought for colonial armies, and participated in colonial political processes—all relatively voluntary acts.(Gilley, as below)
Seems like exactly the hard evidence one would look for. And all this was in the context of colonisers that didn't actually like you all that much, and certainly had little respect for you. But it was was seriously better than its competition.
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The Land of Magic Soldiers reports that during their civil war some Sierra Leonians wanted the British to re-colonize them.
Not that that would have worked--soon enough they'd have wanted the Brits gone again.
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