History The British Empire Questions
The concept of 'white man's burden' refers to the belief held by many Europeans, particularly the British, during the era of colonialism that it was their duty and responsibility to civilize and educate the indigenous peoples of the territories they colonized. This concept was popularized by the British poet Rudyard Kipling in his poem of the same name. The idea behind 'white man's burden' was that the British saw themselves as superior to the native populations and believed it was their duty to bring progress, Christianity, and Western values to these "lesser" civilizations. This belief influenced British colonial policies by justifying their actions of colonization, exploitation, and imposition of their culture on the colonized territories. It provided a moral justification for the British Empire's expansion and allowed them to maintain control over their colonies by portraying their actions as a benevolent mission to uplift and civilize the native populations.