--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember, imperialism is always presented…" description: "\"Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian: the white man's burden, the cross going round the world, the poor benighted natives, the sun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png" --- # Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian… ![“Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian: the white man's burden, the cross going round the world, the poor benighted natives, the sun never sets. . . So you have to be very careful about humanitarianism.” quote by Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png) > “Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian: the white man's burden, the cross going round the world, the poor benighted natives, the sun never sets. . . So you have to be very careful about humanitarianism.” [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imperialism disguises itself as humanitarian aid, masking exploitation and control. **In simple terms:** Imperialism pretends to help but actually dominates. Key Takeaway Critically assess aid motives. Themes politics colonialism humanitarianism Mood skeptical critical inquisitive Type analytical political When to use this quote - foreign policy analysis - NGO funding - media literacy - education curricula - activist campaigns Key Concepts power dynamics moral hypocrisy propaganda Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from "humanitarian" interventions? - How can we differentiate genuine aid from imperialist agendas? A Different Perspective Humanitarian narratives can obscure exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Careful Humanitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful-humanitarianism-2826071/) [Humanitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanitarian/) [Humanitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanitarianism/) [Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism/) [Imperialism Presented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism-presented-2826072/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-imperialism-2826073/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“O my brave Almighty Human, with the ever-effulgent flow of courage, conscience and compassion, turn yourself into a vivacious humanizer, and start walking with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/o-my-brave-almighty-human-with-the-ever-effulgent-flow-of-courage/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Awake, arise ‘n humanize.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/awake-arise-n-humanize/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“First thousand were an accident, Second thousand, a promise. Answer to traditional animosity, Antidote to doting prejudice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/first-thousand-were-an-accident-second-thousand-a-promise-answer-to/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“O my mighty sisters and brothers, forget not that the ideal of humanity is the search of truth. In this pursuit, countless souls have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/o-my-mighty-sisters-and-brothers-forget-not-that-the-ideal-of/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“In the biological sense, race does not exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/in-the-biological-sense-race-does-not-exist/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“I Am The Naskar (Sonnet 2100) I am the Naskar, and I bridge people. Unlike religious salesmen, I don't offer you a promised land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-am-the-naskar-sonnet-2100-i-am-the-naskar-and-i-bridge-people/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Sacrifice everything that is yours, to call up the humans in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/sacrifice-everything-that-is-yours-to-call-up-the-humans-in-others/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Start working my friend – start working towards humanizing the world. Because the world needs humans – conscientious humans, not some dumb manikins, driven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/start-working-my-friend-start-working-towards-humanizing-the-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Give me your soul and I will give you a unified humanity replete with courage, conscience and compassion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/give-me-your-soul-and-i-will-give-you-a-unified-humanity-replete-with/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Arise O lion-heart! Awake, O great soldier! Misery has come upon the world. It is wailing for help. It is wailing for redemption. Won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/arise-o-lion-heart-awake-o-great-soldier-misery-has-come-upon-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“You may be James the American, or Mary the British, or anything else, but before all that, you are a human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-may-be-james-the-american-or-mary-the-british-or-anything-else/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“My Cosmic Soldiers (The Sonnet) Bloodline is of no consequence, We gotta pass on galvanizing ideas. I may quite easily die without heir, World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/my-cosmic-soldiers-the-sonnet-bloodline-is-of-no-consequence-we-gotta/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“World, my valentine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/world-my-valentine/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“I am no God. I am no Messiah. I am no divine incarnation. I am but a human in the service of humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-am-no-god-i-am-no-messiah-i-am-no-divine-incarnation-i-am-but-a/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Yesterday I was stupid, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am more stupid, so I am changing the world. And tomorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/yesterday-i-was-stupid-so-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-today-i-am/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Tony Benn > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Someone comes every morning at nine o'clock to see if I am still alive. I do get lonely, yes, but I have the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/someone-comes-every-morning-at-nine-o-clock-to-see-if-i-am-still/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Middle class Labour leaders are recaptured by the establishment when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/middle-class-labour-leaders-are-recaptured-by-the-establishment-when/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People would do well to ask themselves how many of their ambitions and aspirations derive from the type of economic system they inhabit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-would-do-well-to-ask-themselves-how-many-of-their-ambitions/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/most-things-in-life-are-moments-of-pleasure-and-a-lifetime-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [You have to try to build support around causes. It is uniting to campaign on a single issue, and it is never just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/you-have-to-try-to-build-support-around-causes-it-is-uniting-to/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Normally, people give up parliament because they want to do more business or spend more time with family. My wife said 'why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/normally-people-give-up-parliament-because-they-want-to-do-more/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Food movement organic food stores supplies health food products and facilitate with instrumental support in organic agriculture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/food-movement-organic-food-stores-supplies-health-food-products-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/we-are-not-just-here-to-manage-capitalism-but-to-change-society-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [I think there are two ways in which people are controlled - first of all frighten people and secondly demoralize them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-there-are-two-ways-in-which-people-are-controlled-first-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should vote but I think that if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopeless-people-don-t-vote-they/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Workers are not going to be fobbed off with a few shares...or by a carbon copy of the German system of co-determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/workers-are-not-going-to-be-fobbed-off-with-a-few-shares-or-by-a/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [No medieval monarch in the whole of British history ever had such power as every modern British Prime Minister has in his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/no-medieval-monarch-in-the-whole-of-british-history-ever-had-such/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Having served in eleven Parliaments, it would be difficult to describe this as a maiden speech. It would be like Elizabeth Taylor appearing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/having-served-in-eleven-parliaments-it-would-be-difficult-to-describe/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Explore all 162 Tony Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ## 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": "Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian: the white man's burden, the cross going round the world, the poor benighted natives, the sun never sets. . . So you have to be very careful about humanitarianism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/remember-imperialism-is-always-presented-as-humanitarian-the-white/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Burden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/remember-imperialism-is-always-presented-as-humanitarian-the-white/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/tony-benn-2543_burden_remember-imperialism-is-always-presented_1903894.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Remember, imperialism is always presented as humanitarian: the white man's burden, the cross going round the…” — Tony Benn", "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": "Tony Benn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Remember, imperialism is always presented as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/remember-imperialism-is-always-presented-as-humanitarian-the-white/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/remember-imperialism-is-always-presented-as-humanitarian-the-white/#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 } } ] } ```