MU The British Empire The White Mans Burden Analysis Discussion

Analyze “White Man’s Burden”:

Rudyard Kipling was a British writer who supported imperialism. Many of his novels were set in Britain’s colonies. In this poem from 1899, he encouraged the United States to join the empires of the world.

The White Man’s Burden (excerpts)

Take up the White Man’s burden–
Send forth the best ye breed–
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives’ need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild–
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.

Take up the White Man’s burden–
In patience to abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times made plain
To seek another’s profit,
And work another’s gain.

Take up the White Man’s burden–
The savage wars of peace–
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to naught. […]

Take up the White Man’s burden–
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard–
The cry of hosts ye humor
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:–
“Why brought he us from bondage,
Our loved Egyptian night?“ […]

1-Why did he describe conquering non-European lands as a burden?

2-What did he think non-Europeans were like?

3-So what was the White Man’s burden?

Analyze a petition from South Africa:

Lord Milner was the British High Commissioner in the colony of South Africa. This petition sent to him in 1901 was drafted by the attendees at a public meeting to protest against discriminatory measures being put in place against non-whites.

Resolution of a Meeting of “Coloured People”

Whereas we, the Coloured people in public meeting here assembled viewing with much sorrow and grave apprehension, the efforts which are being made in certain quarters to enact laws which are enimical to our welfare, and which are calculated to harass and annoy us without cause

And whereas, there is nothing in our past history or in our present conduct to justify the necessity for, such measures. as for instance the one now obtaining in a certain Section of His Majesty’s dominions in South Africa, and whereby all members of our race and without the distinctions of respectability, and personal worth are denied the use of public conveyances, excepting such as bear marks which are designed to degrade, and to belittle us,

And whereas, other laws or measures are extant which are not intended to promote the best interests of any portion of His Majesty’s Subjects in South Africa

Therefore, be it resolved, that it is the sense of this meeting that in His Majesty’s High Commissioner in South Africa Lord Milner, the Coloured, and the black man have a staunch friend, to whom we appeal for succour and redress, whose promises afford us hope, and whose recent declaration that the Government will not “alienate the confidence of those who have been their friends all along” affords us the assurance that His Lordship will stand between us and all harm

And, Be it further resolved that a Copy of these resolutions be sent to the Acting High Commissioner for submission to Lord Milner on the return of His Lordship

F L S Peregrin, Secretary

6