It is because we are culturally timid and racist that we still hold to the idea of the noble savage [1], and condemn their children to their wretched lives. A child not knowing what it's missing is no excuse to let her suffer, when we are in position to help.
Regime change operations and invasions have little to do with this unless they come from the sincere effort to improve their people's lives. And when the intention is sincere and the execution well planned, it works, and you can tell by the quality of life of countries like Japan and South Korea.