The main theme in The Man Who Would Be King is about imperialism. What Kipling’s writing suggests about British culture is that the British people were proud to be a part of their great empire, but also had concerns over the best way to govern the colonies. Kipling’s short story shows two loafers who get the ridiculous idea of becoming kings of a distant and culturally alien land. When they succeed, they find out being kings takes more work and patience than they expected, especially for Dravot who cannot resist finding a wife. The two find out only too late what it takes to be good kings. I think Kipling could have meant for his story to be a warning to the British about the need for benevolent rule in the colonies, and for leadership that takes a genuine interest in the indigenous people and not just economics and finances.