Colonialism : The Global Impact Of Imperialism In The Congo

Once Léopold and Stanley came together to discuss their ideas of imperialism in the Congo, Leopold decided they needed some way to seize the land to make it his. Leopold sent Stanley down to the land, and discussed a written agreement which explained how Leopold would take over the land to prevent the Arabs from abducting the congolese as slaves. The Congolese could not understand very well, as their main language was French, but nevertheless agreed to the compliance (AWPHRocklin Belgian Congo. Web). Leopold then went on to controlling the land and forced the congolese to do

Imperialism has been one of the most powerful forces in human history, serving to set the foundation of our modern world. While this has led to the formation of a global society where cultures, ideas, and innovations are spread across countries, imperialism has also left a history of exploitation, racism, and violence that is still affecting the world today. Imperial relationships are always imbalanced when it comes to power and influence; that is, one group (known as the metropole) maintains authority and control over another group (known as the periphery) with economic, political, and cultural dominance (Spiegel 2012). There are many reasons why one group chooses to dominate the other, such as expanding territory, extracting raw resources to fuel economic development, or to spread their beliefs (i.e. religion) (Spiegel 2012). In spite of these varied reasons, one of the main motivators for imperialism began with competition between empires.

Notably medicine and education was advanced saving many lives by making healthcare more accessible and educating thousands of children when the Belgians took the control of the Congo, after Leopold’s rule. Many of the ancestors of the health professional and nuns that came to the Congo believe “Belgium did nothing but good in Africa” (Roxburgh). On the contrary, this statement by many, is very false because of the many human rights abuses and squandering of the resources and the destruction of the prior political system in the Congo. It is noted that during reign of King Leopold and the rest of Belgium rule over the Congo, 10 million people died because of supposed disobedience or rebellion . This group that killed the Congolese was called the Force Publique, a group that also “control the slave laborers” (Macmillan). Also the Force Publique, would target anyone of any age and would punish people if they did not produce enough rubber or gold, by burning down village and mutilating peoples bodies. This was done to ensure the production of rubber and maintain control of the Congo to give Belgium more money to use to bring progress in their own nation and build up their

Despite being arguably the most powerful nations in the world, European nations such as Great Britain, France, and Germany in the late 1800s could not ignore the colonial ambitions presented to them. All around the globe, once independent and peaceful countries became battlefields of war and conquering due to European invasion. The reasons for these aggressions varied immensely, with some seizing new territory with intentions to accomplish any given set of goals. Countries in frequent cases found use in a region’s natural resources that could be used to manufacture goods or create new markets. On the other hand, some leader’s motives to expand were simply fueled by nationalism, with their nation adding new areas to build upon their empire and gain more power. Some even developed the size of their land to openly promote their culture, ideas, and technology. Although all of these purposes may seem like they could be beneficial to both parties involved, the concept of Imperialism proved to be quite harmful to the colony nation. European imperialism throughout Africa and Asia was more negative because of economic, political, and social factors.

Although in some imperialism improved the lives of the native people in the Belgian Congo by providing modern infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, to a great extent imperialism made life worse because of its effect on nationalism and traditions as well as, the physical and emotional strain it inflicted in the Belgian Congo. However, imperialism helped the native Congolians by providing modern forms of infrastructure. Before the discovery of the African Congo, life in Africa was subpar. Lifespans were much shorter, literacy and research were foreign concepts, and transportation was a mere fantasy.

The Republic of Congo was colonized by the Belgians under the ruling of King Leopold II. He exploited the natural resources and the natives for his selfish reasons. Nearly half its population were worked to death, whipped, dismembered, executed outright or sent running into the bush to die of starvation and disease in a pitiless quest for first ivory and then rubber. Whereas, India was subjugated to Great Britain. Great Britain was able to exploit India’s natural resources because of the control they had over the country. They made the raw materials like cotton and tea be sold and exported for a cheap price while they make money off of other countries through tariffs. When these two western countries left their colonies their cultures, infrastructure,

During the nineteenth-century European drive for possessions in Africa... people justified colonialism in various ways, claiming that it Christianized the heathen or civilized the savage races or brought everyone the miraculous benefits of free trade.”(Hochschild 38)Many people played a major role in colonizing the Congo. Many people tried to end the mass murder in the Congo. Even though most of these people were not able to stop it completely, they were a great input to stopping and putting an end to Leopold’s brutality. King Leopold was one of the sneakiest European leaders. His ambitions to increase his country’s power lead him to hunt for a colony. Leopold was able to manipulate his people, and he tried to hide his true intentions for wanting

Imperialism had a vast impact on the Congo’s economy. The first thing the Belgians wanted was control over the Congo’s economy, so that they could have their supplies of ivory and rubber.

King Leopold II ruled the Congo from 1885 to 1908. “He ruled the Congo less as a colony but more as his own personal priority. He treated the native Congolese nearly as slaves and used the wealth of the Congo to grow his own personal wealth.” (http://drcimperialism.weebly.com/life-under-imperialist-power.html). Under his rule the people of the Congo were treated horribly. The Congolese experienced a humanitarian disaster consisting of enslavement, exploitation, and even extermination. Moreover, by the end of this era it was estimated that the population was cut in half. “Eventually international outrage forced Leopold to turn over his personal colony to the Belgian government.” (Esler 572) Nonetheless, during the years of Leopold’s rule imperialism thrived.

King Léopold was a Belgium king who used imperialistic methods in order to inhabit colonies overseas and acquire more wealth. As a result, the Congo Free State was established and occupied in order to exploit its resources. In order to ensure that rubber and other resources in the Congo were being gathered, the Force Publique, an army of Europeans and local men under King Leopold, committed the killings and other acts of violence against the indigenous tribes and natives in Congo Free State. The killings in the Congo Free State were a mechanism that King Léopold used to gain control over the tribes in the Congo and to increase slave labor, so that resources such ivory and rubber could be used to as goods for trading. If the natives did not fulfill the expected ivory or rubber quota, the soldiers were expected to take action by killing natives, taking hostages, or cutting off their right

The destruction of culture and people is not limited to coastal Africa. European powers plunged deep into the heart of the continent with destructive force, exploiting the people and resources which resided there. This aggression was most prominent in King Leopold’s Belgian Congo, the setting for Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The Belgian Congo was different from other colonies in that it “had nothing to sell. [It] was not interested in turning Africans into consumers but only in using their forced labor” (Hawkins 291). Leopold’s Congo proves itself to be a great offender against the ideal, exemplified in “an inefficiency that was peculiar to King Leopold's Congo. The two best examples are the building of the railway and the inadequacy of

History should not be viewed as a series of unrelated events. Rather, history is an evolutionary process in which each period and occurrence impacts subsequent eras. That said, each age has different characteristics that are unique to it. The history of the Congo amid the recent century and a half is a good illustration of the themes of both progression and change in history. Specifically, during Congo’s colonial era, its European rulers ruthlessly exploited its natural resources.

The natives get very upset when you take a picture because they believe that it removes that person's spirit. They are home to the 2nd largest river in africa, the climate is very warm in some parts and colder in others because of the equator. The people in the Congo are interesting across the nation they talk over 200 languages with the official language french, they have different but similar holidays but not customs and religion. The most popular animal on the ground is the mountain gorilla and they have a lot of different fish across the congo river where you can't find them anywhere else. Just in the past year the armed forces found a poaching camp with a tracker they put on a elephant, and a missionary was shot in the shoulder twice after

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the eleventh largest country in the world and has over $29 trillion in unexploited minerals and natural resources (News about Congo). Given this fact, how is it that the DRC ranks 172 in economic freedom? The simple answer is the country is afflicted with inadequate security, shoddy governance, and a long-lasting humanitarian crisis. It is imperative that the United States (U.S.) understands the framework surrounding the operational environment, strategic implications, and how they can use its instruments of national power as a strategy to affect the DRC. Social redistribution is a method that will assist in achieving U.S. strategic goals due to the ineptness and limited capacity

The Bloody Past of the Democratic Republic of Congo and how it will Influence its Future