Ajustification rather than a basic cause of european imperialism was the moral obligation to bring western civilization to less developed areas ambition to control sources of raw materials need to develop new markets for europe's expanding industries political rivalry among the nations of europe

The correct answer should be "Moral obligation to bring Western Civilization to less developed areas".

This was a justification and the way they presented it in public. It was especially prominent in Spain as they said that they were expanding for Christianity whereas they really wanted gold from colonies.