Introduction
The exploitation of colonial resources and indigenous labor was one of the key elements in the success of imperialism. Such exploitation was a result of the prevalent ethnocentrism of the time and was justified by the unscientific concept of social Darwinism, which praised the characteristics of white Europeans and inaccurately ascribed negative characteristics to indigenous peoples. A famous poem of the time by Rudyard Kipling, White Man’s Burden, called on imperial powers, and particularly the U.S., which the poem was directed at, to take up the mission of civilizing these “savage” peoples.
Instructions
Read the poem at the following link:
After reading the poem, address the following in a case study analysis:
- Define social Darwinism in your own words.
- Analyze the motivations and consequences that Kipling presents for undertaking the “White Man’s Burden.”
- What specific examples of ethnocentrism can you identify?
- Were the “Half-devil and half-child” peoples truly uncivilized?
Writing Requirements (APA format)
- Length: 2-3 pages (not including title page or references page)
- 1-inch margins
- Double spaced
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Title page
- References page
Solution:
Imperialism and Exploitation
Imperialism has been described as the ideology is extending a nation’s rule over foreign nations. This is most by military forces as well as gaining economic and political control of other ears. Imperialism has been a common phenomenon since time immemorial. Kipling’s poem, the White Man’s burden describes the act of imperialism by the United States over small and inferior countries such as Guam, Rico, Puerto, Cuba, and the Philippines. This essay analyzes Kipling’s poem in light of imperialism and exploitation.
Social Darwinism takes into consideration the theory of ideology that human groups, as well as races, are typically subjected to the same laws of natural selection. This is in line with what Charles Darwin had perceived animals and plants in nature. According to the social Darwinism theory, which was widely used in the late 19th as well as late 20th centuries, the weak were and diminished or eliminated while the weak developed and grew in power. In this context, it means that the strong had cultural influence over the weak. Further, this theory upholds that the lives of human beings within a society is normally a struggle for existence rule by the popular notion “survival of the fittest”. This phrase, as explained by Lewis (2016) was proposed by the British Scientist and philosopher Herbert Spencer.
Kipling’s poem was published at the start of the Philippine-American War. It was published during the ratification of the treaty the Senate of the United States, which gave the…Please click the Paypal icon below to purchase full solution for only $10