true, But it generally has helped raise billions out of poverty.

that were first thrust into poverty to start with by a different system of exploitation.

I have to admire the beauty of this argument as it has occurred over time - let's exploit them using force and make them poor (enriching ourselves), then use the poverty to justify paying them less (enriching ourselves), using the argument that we are slowly lifting these billions out of poverty (enriching our souls).

That initial system of exploitation is what the US fought against in a revolution. Everyone was exploited at some time in history.