Final answer:
The theme of Rudyard Kipling's poem 'The White Man's Burden' most accurately identifies with the modernization of non-western peoples (Option C), as it promotes the imperialist belief that western countries were improving the societies they colonized by introducing western values and systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Which of the following most accurately identifies the theme of Rudyard Kipling's The White Man's Burden? The answer to this question lies in the portrayal of imperialist motives and the justification for the subjugation of non-western peoples under the guise of bringing them modernization and civilization. Rudyard Kipling's poem, written during the imperialist expansion of the United States into the Philippines, reflects the notion that Western countries had a duty, or "burden," to bring their perceived superiority in culture, religion, and governance to people they considered uncivilized.
This duty was framed as a sacrifice the imperial powers had to bear. The correct answer to the question is C: modernization of non-western peoples, as Kipling's poem endorses the view that Western countries were bringing progress and improvement to the colonized societies despite the underlying oppressive nature of such actions.