Examples Of Social Darwinism In The White Man's Burden

According to the United States, democracy and Christianity were principal elements of a successful society. During the end of the eighteen-hundreds and throughout the beginning of the nineteen-hundreds, America tried to colonize and reform less fortunate nations. Following a social-Darwinist point of view, Americans took their “God-given” superiority to those who were incapable of establishing their own self-government (Doc. H). After much debate, American foreign policy towards the Philippines and Cuba was that it is our duty to rule them until they could rule themselves. We pledged to save the indigenous people from their savage, bloody, and corrupt ways of life. President McKinley’s foreign policy towards the Philippines stated that “they would soon have anarchy and misrule…there was nothing left to do but take them all, educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize them” (Doc. A).

In the years following the Civil War, several developments that came with the second Industrial Revolution fueled the nation’s urge for overseas expansion. Many Americans approved of overseas expansion, believing that the superior and exceptional United States functioned as an “international policeman,” and therefore had an obligation to civilize other countries, including the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, those who criticized overseas expansion believed that it violated the traditional American ideals of democracy and peace, and that the United States should focus more on the problems within the country. While the supporters and opponents of overseas expansion had entirely different views from each other, they were alike in that they both based their beliefs on the role of the country as an emerging power and its national identity.

Theodore Roosevelt believed the triumph of America was in the hands of American race; who he saw as the one’s most advanced civilized races. Which made all the other races inferior and useless. According to Roosevelt the ideal American man had masculine strength, intelligence, morality, strong virile character, brave, knowledgeable, fearless, and most important virile fighting virtues. American men needed to find a balance between providing for themselves, and their families providing to their nation. Roosevelt also believed in order for racial improvement and expansion; virile American men needed to build a stronger powerful navy and army. Roosevelt had an idea that the United States was full of men whole felt they racial superiority and used it to get ahead of the superior races, and in order to get rid of this intercontinental tension they should strive to advance the people through imperialism. He stressed the notion to congress that was America’s duty as superior nation, to take up the white’s burden in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Only then can America prevail in Darwinist racial contest and dominate the world. However, Roosevelt despised any man who lacked this viral traits. He feared unmanly man would cause America to deteriorate, and allow a manlier and strong power to come in and take over. Roosevelt consider these men useless, slothful and a burden to the

However, the organization of the book proved to be beneficial to Williams’ it successfully portrays why he wrote the book and how passionately he felt about its topics. The Tragedy of American Diplomacy follows and critiques the twentieth century belief that the substantial surge of growth in the nineteenth century was crucial to the opulence and security to go forward in America. He highlights the distinction between this idea and the determined quest of expansion with the belief of many Americans that this “economic intervention” would usher in wealth and tranquility to the rest of the world. The tragedy that Williams informs us about is purely ironic because, The American ideals at the time contradict with what was

In a passage from Our Country, Josiah states, “let us hope, of the largest liberty, the purest Christianity, the highest civilization -- having developed peculiarly aggressive traits calculated to impress its institutions upon mankind, will spread itself over the earth” (674). This applies to the issues with the Philippines because it supports McKinley's reasoning for sending troops and “missionaries” over to convert the people but ultimately ended up wreaking havoc. “Aguinaldo’s Case against the United States” written by Emilio Aguinaldo explained why he opposed American imperialism. Emilio led the Filipino armed against Spain for Independence. He was against imperialism because he believed the Filipino’s were being treated unfairly, America thinking that they were “ignorant savages”. The point he made was that America was treating the Philippines like how the colonials were treated before they escaped England. Emilio asked for America to “give us the chance; treat us exactly as you demanded to be treated at the hands of England when you rebelled against her autocratic methods”. By America treating the Filipino’s this way, it tossed all their morals about liberty and out the door putting the Filipino’s in the position that Americans were in trying trying to escape from England’s

Also, Social Darwinism had been a huge influence to many Americans, which led them to believe that the United States had a responsiblity to bring industrialization and democracy to less developed nations. Many American leaders, such as Theodore Roosevelt, thought that the ticket and key tool for imperialism would be a powerful naval presence, his, “big stick” that would rival any great European power. Through necessity of resources and war with Spain, the United States would free Cuba, annex Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. Annexation had a pronounced affect on the citizens of those countries, more so in the Philippines. As we know the United States engaged in imperialism to promote their influence of democracy to new parts of the world. The United States believed they had a responsible to police the Western Hemisphere, but the United States’ decision to engage in imperialism was much more than

As the United States transformed physically from industrialization and competition to secure international markets a new political global hierarchy in the Imperial Age began to form. World power at this time was often accumulated by Nations dominated by the Anglo Saxon races. This power often came at the expense of minorities in non-industrialized Nations. The forceful acquisition of territories by more advanced Nations often resulted from racists theories of white superiority. Notions of white superiority evolved from philosophies like Social Darwinism and were used to support the White Man’s burden or duty to civilize less developed peoples. America in an effort to compete with European Nations on the Global stage obtained several territories from its victory in the Spanish America War. The acquisition of the Philippines in particular, sparked competing interpretations of the definition liberty and its proper administration in these new U.S. Territories. As well as, ignited debates among intellectuals, politicians and the American people over the role America’s foreign policy should embrace in the World Stage. Ultimately, Imperialists championed American foreign policy that restricted the liberty of inferior races, propelling America to embrace its duty to civilize the world as a Global Power. At the same time, anti-imperialists pursued foreign policy measures to expand liberty for native peoples in U.S. Territories insisting imperialism violated America’s founding

From its inception, America has been in a continual state of growth and expansion. Influenced by their grandfathers’ westward expansion in the early 19th century, expansionists in the turn of the 20th century expanded American influence and control worldwide. Various sources brought American desire of faraway land, through both individuals and through developments of the period. However, this Manifest Destiny didn’t always result in positive development, as shown with later problems incurring from the U.S. occupation of Cuba and the Philippines.

During the Second Industrial Revolution (1871-1914), the United States became one of the world’s mass producers of agricultural goods, which consumers demanded greatly. However, following the Depression of 1893, the demand for those goods dropped and the supply began to accumulate. This overproduction of goods pushed Americans to bring their markets overseas where they can reduce their inventory and still make profit. Aiding with the movement abroad was the U.S. government, under President McKinley. McKinley had a desire to expand the economy internationally, and his method to achieve that need was through imperialism. Such a method led Hawaii to be annexed with the U.S., as well as bring America into the Spanish-American War (1898). However, when the U.S. strove for the Philippine Islands in 1899, the natives rebelled against U.S. oppression. Whether America should get involved in an overseas war with the Philippines is up to Congress? But to New York Governor and former Rough Rider, Theodore “Tedi” Roosevelt, he believes that the U.S. should approach the challenge, for it will show other nations that America is a strong country and does not fear danger.

What was once perceived to be ‘the white man’s burden’ has engulfed all developed nations – we’re all quixotic fools of imperialism. If you think that you’ve heard of ‘the white man’s burden’ before you’re correct, it is a poetic piece by Kipling; written in 1898 for the purpose of the US (United States). The finale verse is poignant to all: "Take up the white man’s burden, have done with childish days, the lighter proffered laurel, the easy, ungrudged praise. Comes now, to search your manhood through all the thankless years, cold edged with dear bought wisdom, the judgement of your peers!" If you find it deficient of beauty and description it’s because the expansion of its meaning shifts in an emporium tenor. I wish to pass this on to Alexis Tsipras.

Until the end of the twentieth century America’s policy towards war was to stay neutral. We stayed out of other governments battles and we avoided war. The United States did not force our ideals on any foreign governments. The US did not want to be the bully who forces countries into having freedom and independence. This noninterventionist America, devoted to solving its own problems and developing its own civilization, became the wonder of the world. People were compelled to come to this wonderful country and share in the freedoms it enjoys. Between 1898 and 1919, trade and cultural exchange flourished, as American civilization progressed and we became an economic powerhouse. American traditions in

     In one of his most famous poems, Rudyard Kipling said, "Take up the white man's burden!" (146). He was only one of many who believed in the virtues of imperialism in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. During that period, imperialism was on the rise, and Africa was being swallowed up by competing European nations. The imperialists had many arguments supporting imperialism. They said it was beneficial and, in some cases, essential. Their arguments did not satisfy everyone, but that did not bother them. The justifications ranged from economics to social services, while touching on everything else in between (Hayes 222-3).

Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 poem “The White Man’s Burden” epitomizes the European man’s view on imperialism, Euro-centrism and social Darwinism. Four centuries before 1899, such ideas were briefly hinted in the letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however by 1899 these attitudes strengthened and developed fully into their complete meaning. The U.S and Europe’s imperialism in the nineteenth century were the most influential ever in the history of human civilization. The immense motive for imperialism came from social factors including religion and Social Darwinism.

Throughout the Victorian Age, there was great controversy surrounding the relationship between religion and science. During this era, writers began investigating the idea of natural forces modifying organisms throughout their existence rather than God creating every organism with specific attributes to meet their needs. As a result, the ideology known as Darwinism emerged throughout the age. Later in the era, Darwinism was tweaked to describe the intricacies of human society and the varying levels of human economic and social classes. Social Darwinism was established in the second half of the 19th century based off of the Darwinist ideologies suggested by naturalists Robert Chambers, Charles Darwin, and Herbert Spencer. Social Darwinism applies

Understanding other people's struggles can only be achieved when looking at things from both point of views. The two poems “The White Man's Burden” by R. Kipling and “The Black Man’s Burden” by Reverend H.T. Johnson, both talk about the burdens they posses. The white man wants someone to take on their burden and help civilize the Filipinos while the black man is calling the white man's burden absent. The black man just wants their burden to be recognized, and somewhat appreciated. Both of the poems use diction, tone and figurative language to express their view on the burdens of life.