In the late 1800s, western nations generally believed the peoples of africa and asia
were good christians.
were less civilized.
should learn english.
should be industrialized.

The correct answer is the second one: were less civilized.

At the end of the 19th century, in Europe and North America there was a general belief that there was some sort of linear progression among human societies from less civilized cultures (savages) to more civilized cultures. This idea was a direct result from the application of the new Darwinian perspective to the study of human societies. According to this social Darwinism, Western nations were scientifically and technologically more advanced than most African and Asian cultures due to the fact (in their perspective) that European races were more evolved than African and Asian people, who were more primitive in the Western view. This ideas led European powers to legitimate the colonization of Africa and Asia, in order to exploit their natural resources they needed for their industrial economies and to expand the European cultures among the colonized people.