The selections we read from Empire Writing were emotionally loaded, encompassing the wide variety of British and Indian emotions towards the events leading up to the Indian Independence and everything that followed. A repeating pattern in subject and master relationships, the British viewed Indians as inferior to them, needed their guidance and counsel in all aspects of life, demeaning the Indian culture and history that was present there before the arrival of the British. This is especially present in Kiplings, “The White Man’s Burden (1899)” and Macaulay’s “Minute on Indian Education”, to name a few of the selections.

In Kiplings “The White’s Man’s Burden”, the selection from Empire Writing, from the title, we can already sense the segregation of the British people from their Indian subjects. Just from the title, race or in other words the color of their skin is hook in its title, separating those that are not considered to be “white” as the ones creating this burden that the white man has to carry around, a source of what the problem. This imagery defines the relationship the way the British view Indians and defines from the get go the only relationship they had at the time, were the British feel it is their responsibility to care for those that are not up to par with their ideologies, manners, and character.

Starting off the first stanza of Kiplings “The White Mans Burden” we sense the British feelings about their subject. Kipling asks his audience, which we can safely assume is a predominantly white audience or those of caucasian descent, to take up the White Man’s Burden by sending forth the best representations of Britain, from whom the indians should copy, and to educate and guide their subjects which they consider to be half devil and half child. Calling the Indian half devil reiterates how little respect the British had for Indians. Half devil, meaning that their foreign ways were heretic and absurd, therefore, implying that the British were in fact, half godly or closer in mannerism to god and what is just and right. Also, calling the Indians children means that the British view them as irresponsible and immature, not capable of taking care of themselves, which is the white man’s burden must be taken care of in order to help mold, grow and develop the Indians whom clearly were incapable of doing it on their own.

This mindset of superiority is also present in Macaulay’s Minute on Indian Education as the British are debating, as they create the educational system, where a continuation of the Indian language and all things Indian culture related are worthwhile at an educational institution. Macaulay says “English is the language spoken by the ruling class. It is spoken by the higher natives at the seat of government”, and further goes on the justify why the English language is superior to all other languages, especially in regards to the Indian language because of all the high positions in which English speakers are present, showing a direct correlation between advancement and development of oneself with an association to the English culture. Macaulay ends his argument by stating that “I feel with them, that it is impossible for us, with our limited means, to attempt to educate the body of the people. — a class of persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals and in intellect.” This further supports Kipling’s ideals on the white man’s burden, a feel to “fix” and “correct” others that do not necessarily fit into the ideal English quota and are therefore inferior because they are such. Completely disregarding of Indians as a people, both Kipling and Macaulay represent the British mindset of having a god given responsibility as the “white man” to help educate the ignorant world to further bring them closer to what the British consider to be the norm and the correct way of life. The British believe themselves to the superior in all aspects of life. The english standard iis and should be the standard for all and everyone who does not fit into that category or refuse to acknowledge this truth is in the wrong, and should in fact be striving to achieve or at least emulate these standards. The British are the “enlightened” ones so to say and therefore strive to change their subjects by educating them in manners that they seem fit. Both Kipling and Macaulay show the impressions of the British mindset, not trying to assimilate into the culture of the subjects, India specifically but instead striving to change them as a people.

 

Help Received: Kipling, “White Man’s Burden” (1899), page 273; Macaulay, from “Minute on Education” (1835) handout