Compared to Imperial China and the rest, America is benign as an oppresser
Benign or otherwise, and yes quite a late comer to the game and was into for barely 50 + years, but ... still an Imperial power with colonies and special concessions to show for :) ...
BTW, Imperial China was, by historical standard of the time, considered as a relatively non-repressive Imperial power also. The greatest of China's dynastic power (Han, Tang, Qing) were all relatively open and inclusive at the height of their power.