I'm aware it's super problematic etc so I just imagine the game as Imperialism: the video game!
I need to accumulate and exponentially grow my production gold etc etc so I can do more and outcompete other civilizations and get access to more strat luxury resources etc etc
Keep going until there's no unsettled land in the way and its time for war with neighboring empires
Still doesn't make it not a wrong view of history but it makes it more internally consistent to me