Rudyard Kipling's View On Imperialism

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In the 18th to 19th century the factor determining the everyday life of many people was egotistic, uncompassionate nations of ‘superior’ cultures and religious doctrines. These nations with their superior ideals studied and applied imperialism to nations, they thought were uncivilized. According to Merriam Webster Imperialism is ‘the effect that a powerful country or group of countries has in changing or influencing the way people live in other, poorer countries.’ Imperialism was an era of major changes, in which for the better and the worst, the imperialized nations were affected. Many poets and philosophers commented on imperialism in their writings, some were in agreement and others were opposed of imperialism. One of these poets is Rudyard …show more content…

Kipling suggests, ““Take up the White Man 's burden to veil the threat of terror and check the show of pride… to seek another 's profit, and work another 's gain.” Specifically, Kipling is expressing that treating the natives as slaves, despite the intentions, will only lead to the native’s not trusting and hating the imperialist. The Journal of African Economies clarifies, “Africa has a high prevalence of civil wars and this is commonly attributed to the ethnic diversity of its countries… Ethnic identities and hatred are thus seen as the cause of violent conflict” (Sambanis 3). The separation of cultures, rather it be religious or political, creates un-needed conflict, that Kipling as an advocate for stability, opposes. For example, when imperialist divided African nation’s among themselves they did not care about the principles of the natives. Therefore, insuring additional conflict among the natives of Africa. In 1998 Nobel Peace Prize Winner John Hume exclaimed, “All conflict is about difference; whether the difference is race religion, or nationality.” Difference, essentially brings conflict that enacts mistrust in the persons involved. Kipling understood this and proposed that peace comes from the togetherness of the world as a

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