What concept suggests that it was the duty of Western powers to civilize non-Western peoples?

The concept that suggests it was the duty of Western powers to civilize non-Western peoples is known as the "White Man's Burden." This idea originated from a poem by Rudyard Kipling, which expressed the belief that Western nations had a moral obligation to bring progress, education, and Christianity to what they viewed as "lesser" cultures. The "White Man's Burden" became a justification for colonialism, portraying imperialism as a noble enterprise aimed at uplifting societies considered to be underdeveloped or savaged.

While "Civilizing Mission" is often used interchangeably with the "White Man's Burden," it does not encapsulate the specific racial undertones and the implied superiority of Western civilization that the phrase "White Man's Burden" does. "Manifest Destiny," on the other hand, refers more specifically to the 19th-century belief that the expansion of the United States across the American continents was both justified and inevitable, rather than a broad obligation towards global civilizing efforts. "Western Superiority" captures the sentiment of racial and cultural dominance but lacks the explicit framing of obligation and duty that defines the "White Man's Burden."

In summary, the "White Man's Burden" distinctly embodies the