To understand why Kipling wrote this poem, we should look at its full title: "The White Man's Burden: The United States and the Philippine Islands." Using the second part of this title, it becomes clear that Kipling directed this poem to the United States who, in 1899 (the time of publication), were involved in a war with the Philippines. The reasons for this war originate in events from the previous year when the United States...
To understand why Kipling wrote this poem, we should look at its full title: "The White Man's Burden: The United States and the Philippine Islands." Using the second part of this title, it becomes clear that Kipling directed this poem to the United States who, in 1899 (the time of publication), were involved in a war with the Philippines. The reasons for this war originate in events from the previous year when the United States defeated the Spanish and purchased from them a number of islands, including the Philippines. But this small nation had no intention of becoming a U.S. colony and, in February 1899, declared war on the United States. (Please see the reference links provided for more information).
Kipling thus intended that his poem would inspire and encourage the Americans to overcome the people of the Philippines. He wanted them to realise that empire-building was a challenging endeavour that involved hard work and sacrifice. This sentiment is echoed throughout the poem, particularly in the fourth stanza:
Go make them with your living,
Go mark them with your dead.
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