The 'White Man's Burden'

What was the White Man's Burden?

The 'White Man's Burden' was a phrase used by Rudyard Kipling. It expressed the view that white Britons had a duty to civilise and educate other races, even if they seemed not to want it.

What was the idea of the 'White Man's Burden'?

Kipling's ideas came across clearly in his poem, 'The White Man's Burden'.

• ❖ In the poem, Kipling praised those who went to the empire as the best of Britons, who worked hard to civilise and Christianise the world.
• ❖ Conversely, Kipling portrayed the non-white people of the empire as lazy, stubborn, stupid, and heathen.
• ❖ According to Kipling, the British empire-builders had to do their best to educate the natives, even if they saw their efforts go to waste. This was their 'burden'.