White Man's Burden

"White Man's Burden" was a phrase popularized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, suggesting that Western colonial powers, particularly Europeans and Americans, had a moral obligation to govern and uplift non-Western peoples. It implied that their efforts were a moral duty to bring civilization, education, and progress, often justifying colonialism. However, the concept is now recognized as a paternalistic and racist justification for imperialism, ignoring the autonomy and cultures of colonized peoples and valuing Western superiority.