Final answer:
The White Man's Burden was a concept that justified imperialism by promoting the idea that Western powers had a duty to civilize less developed societies. It influenced policies such as colonialism, annexation, and missionary efforts. Kipling's poem embodies this ideology and fueled Western ambitions to exert influence over other nations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of the White Man's Burden played a significant role in justifying imperialism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The idea was that Western powers, particularly European nations, believed it was their duty to civilize and uplift less developed societies around the world.
This notion was popularized by Rudyard Kipling's poem, 'The White Man's Burden.' In the poem, Kipling portrayed non-Western societies as uncivilized and in need of guidance and improvement from the 'superior' white race. This ideological justification for imperialism fueled the ambitions of Western powers to expand their empires and exert their influence over other nations.
The concept of the White Man's Burden also played a role in later involvement in foreign affairs. It influenced the formation of policies such as colonialism, annexation of territories, and missionary efforts. These actions were driven by the belief that Western powers had a moral obligation to bring their culture, religion, and political systems to 'uncivilized' societies.