“Europe got rich only by robbery.”
“Some countries are rich only because they have resources.”
Both sound comforting. Both dodge accountability.

Yes — colonialism stole, exploited, and scarred nations.
That’s history.
But if theft alone created development, half the world would be Norway today.

Reality is more uncomfortable:

Plenty of countries were colonized — only a few became developed.
Plenty of countries have oil, gas, minerals, land — yet remain poor.
Plenty of countries have no resources — yet built world-class economies.

So what actually separates them?

Not robbery.
Not natural gifts.
But institutions.

Developed nations built:
• rule of law
• independent courts
• stable property rights
• real education systems
• honest tax collection
• innovation ecosystems
• accountability for power

Resources don’t build countries.
Institutions do.

Nigeria has oil.
Venezuela has oil.
Russia has everything.
Still not “developed.”

Meanwhile:
Japan has no oil.
South Korea had nothing.
Singapore had swamp water.
They built systems — not excuses.

And here’s the part nobody wants to hear:

Blaming colonialism forever feels righteous,
but it quietly tells your own leaders:
“Failure is acceptable. There’s always a foreign villain.”

High-speed rail can be bought.
Skyscrapers can be copied.
But trust, law, and competence cannot be imported.

History explains trauma.
It does not excuse permanent stagnation.

A nation becomes developed when it stops outsourcing both credit AND blame.