If he was a “product of the time,” he was the product of a privileged class and expansionist politics that he was willing to defend with military force.

Indeed. When I hear the “product of the time” line I know I’m about to get a whole lot of rationalizations next. What “product of the time” really means is part of the dominant social class or structure and is usually used to downplay the flaws of um, I mean “contextualize”, the “Great Men of History”.

Note as you point that there were plenty of people who resisted or opposed the products of their times in real time which, in this case, sort of puts the lie to the notion that modern standards are being placed on historical figures.

To the subject at hand, give Churchill his due but give him ALL of his due.