At first glance, it would appear that the vast majority of the ex-colonies have been very successful. Great Britain was indeed “great.”
As for the social, economic, and political disasters pushed by your local university lib groups... let us remember that they have never come up with anything that actually works.
One should treat the typical lib prof in the same manner as we tech types treat someone who believes in perpetual energy, global warming, or electric cars.
The third world socialist and Islamist dictators that filled the void when the “imperialists” left were hardly better or more liberating.
The academics are fine with Islamic imperialism and Communist imperialism. They only have the daggers out for Western colonialism.
Foreign aid with no say or benefit (hired labor) in how that money is spent is foolishness.