--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take up the White Man's burden -- send…" description: "\"Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye breed -- go, bind your sons to exile to serve your captives need.\" — Rudyard Kipling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png" --- # Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye… ![“Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye breed -- go, bind your sons to exile to serve your captives need.” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png) > “Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye breed -- go, bind your sons to exile to serve your captives need.” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call for imperial powers to assume responsibility for colonized peoples, framed as a moral duty. **In simple terms:** Imperial duty portrayed as noble burden. Key Takeaway Question the moral justification of empire. Themes imperialism responsibility colonialism Mood critical reflective Type historical political When to use this quote - political policy - historical analysis - education curricula - public debate Key Concepts civilizing mission moral duty Questions to Reflect On - Is it ethical to impose one’s values on another? - How do we reconcile “civilizing” rhetoric with oppression? A Different Perspective Ignores the agency and suffering of colonized peoples. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bind Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bind-sons-2038040/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Captives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captives/) [Captives Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captives-need-2038038/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Exile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exile/) [Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Serve Captives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-captives-2038037/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Sons Exile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-exile-2038039/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) [Your son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-son/) ## Related quotes > [I believe it from the bottom of my heart, and your sons and daughters, too, can have the American dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-a-ribicoff/i-believe-it-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart-and-your-sons-and-daughters/) [Abraham A. Ribicoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-a-ribicoff/) > [I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world. May your villages remain ignorant of tax collectors, and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/i-shall-clasp-my-hands-together-and-bow-to-the-corners-of-the-world/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [I want your opinion on the best way to proceed. (Eli) I’d start by killing your son and his crew of idiots before their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-want-your-opinion-on-the-best-way-to-proceed-eli-i-d-start-by/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [It's a great joy but no test of love or commitment to take your son to a ball game. You really prove your credentials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/it-s-a-great-joy-but-no-test-of-love-or-commitment-to-take-your-son/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [ Marry your sonne when you will; your daughter when you can. \[Marry your son when you will, your daughter when you can.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/marry-your-sonne-when-you-will-your-daughter-when-you-can-marry-your/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [A war is justified if you're willing to send your son. If you're not willing to send your son, how do you send someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/a-war-is-justified-if-you-re-willing-to-send-your-son-if-you-re-not/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [Is it wrong to love another man? Of course not. It's not. And is it wrong to love your son, marry your son, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/is-it-wrong-to-love-another-man-of-course-not-it-s-not-and-is-it/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Have you ever sent a loved son on vacation, and had him returned to you in a pine box, so horribly battered and water-logged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamie-till/have-you-ever-sent-a-loved-son-on-vacation-and-had-him-returned-to/) [Mamie Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamie-till/) > [There shall be no slave in your home, male or female: Least of all the mother of your son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/there-shall-be-no-slave-in-your-home-male-or-female-least-of-all-the/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Your son at five is your master, at ten your slave, at fifteen your double, and after that, your friend or foe, depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasdai-ibn-shaprut/your-son-at-five-is-your-master-at-ten-your-slave-at-fifteen-your/) [Hasdai ibn Shaprut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasdai-ibn-shaprut/) > [You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-marry-a-non-graduate-then-you-are-going-to-worry-if-your-son-or/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [You have given us something more than money, you have given us a lot of your sons, your children that were killed beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-al-jaafari/you-have-given-us-something-more-than-money-you-have-given-us-a-lot/) [Ibrahim al-Jaafari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-al-jaafari/) > [Of course you want your son, your children, to be proud of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/of-course-you-want-your-son-your-children-to-be-proud-of-you/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [It is cruel for you to leave your daughter, so full of hopeand resolve, to suffer the humiliations of disfranchisement she already feels so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-is-cruel-for-you-to-leave-your-daughter-so-full-of-hopeand-resolve/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [As a dad, it's kind of exciting to see that your son follows what you believe in so strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-mack-iv/as-a-dad-it-s-kind-of-exciting-to-see-that-your-son-follows-what-you/) [Connie Mack IV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-mack-iv/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Burden quotes > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) [Simone Abou Samra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-abou-samra/) > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“What a burden it must be to know all the terrible things you've done and support it with arms unfit to carry it all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-weikel/what-a-burden-it-must-be-to-know-all-the-terrible-things-you-ve-done/) [K. Weikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-weikel/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [It's a burden trying to keep a secret. It's hard. It probably takes more out of you trying to hold it and keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/it-s-a-burden-trying-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-hard-it-probably-takes/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [I've always liked artists like Chris Burden, who would take performances, put them in galleries, and then do things that were on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blaine/i-ve-always-liked-artists-like-chris-burden-who-would-take/) [David Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blaine/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye breed -- go, bind your sons to exile to serve your captives need.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-forth-the-best-ye-breed-go-bind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Burden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-forth-the-best-ye-breed-go-bind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/rudyard-kipling-527_burden_take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-fort_2612131.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take up the White Man's burden -- send forth the best ye breed -- go, bind your sons to exile to serve your…” — Rudyard Kipling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Take up the White Man's burden...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-forth-the-best-ye-breed-go-bind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/take-up-the-white-man-s-burden-send-forth-the-best-ye-breed-go-bind/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```