The term "white man's burden" refers to a concept that emerged during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily associated with European colonialism and American imperialism. It suggests that it is the duty or responsibility of white Europeans and Americans to "civilize" and govern non-white societies, whom they considered to be "primitive" or "savage." This notion was often used to justify colonization, imperialism, and the subjugation of indigenous peoples, framed as a moral obligation to bring progress, Christianity, and Western values to those deemed inferior.
The phrase itself was popularized by the poet Rudyard Kipling in his poem titled "The White Man's Burden," published in 1899, which urged the United States to take up the colonial responsibilities exemplified by European powers.
As for the French perspective on this concept, the French colonial empire, like other European powers at the time, also engaged in the rhetoric of civilizing missions. The French often framed their colonial endeavors in terms of promoting "la mission civilisatrice," or the civilizing mission, which was their justification for administering territories in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. This idea posited that the French had a duty to spread their culture, language, and governance systems to their colonies, which they viewed as uncivilized.
Both the "white man's burden" and the "mission civilisatrice" reflect a paternalistic and ethnocentric view of imperialism, where colonial powers believed they were acting benevolently, despite the often exploitative and oppressive realities of colonial rule. These concepts have been widely criticized for their racist undertones and the justification of colonial practices that led to significant suffering and disruption in colonized societies.