The British Empire provided good government, uncorrupt public administration, inter-tribal peace, the rule of law, free trade, the abolition of slavery, famine relief, the abolition of barbaric customs such as suttee and thugee, huge infrastructural advances such as railways, roads plus irrigation projects, and in every colony nurtured its native peoples towards running their own countries once they were ripe for independence. Reminds me of "Life of Brian": "What have the Romans ever done for us??"
"Well, there's the roads ..."
"Oh, that goes without saying. But aside from the roads, what have the Romans ever done for us??"
"What about the aqueducts?"
"Yeah, yeah, fresh water is good. But, really, what have ..."