“The ends justify the means” isn’t really the same as saying that the destination is more important than the journey. What it says is that the destination allows you to ethically do whatever you need to do to get there.
If you want to be rich, “the ends justify the means” allows you to exploit cheap labour to become rich.
This kind of philosophy is dehumanizing. It turns people into tools in others’ aspirations. It has been and continues to be used to justify exploitation as well as tyranny and dictatorship.