Congo Imperialism Essay

The film “The Ghost of King Leopold” portrays the struggles of native people in the Congo as King Leopold of Belgium drained the region of natural resources and exploited the native population. Leopold imperializes the Congo very easily because, the rest of the world took his word, when he said he was bettering the Congo region, in reality he was filling his own pockets. Leopold reigned from 1885-1908; he enslaved the native people of the Congo and used the whole region as his own personal plantation. Leopold took many things from the Congo; his largest profit margin was from the natural resources.

The rule of King Leopold II instilled disturbing methods of ruling. He enslaved the people of The democratic republic of Congo (Congolese) to gather him resources that would only benefit him. He was willing to do whatever it took to gain resources, even if it meant enslaving the people. “ King Leopold II nearly enslaved many of the Congolese people in order to gain wealth, and to bring power” (Citation) imperialism had a negative impact on the country, it had a long lasting impacts on the country because he depleted them of their resources which means they don't have much to export as a country now. King Leopold II used the people as slaves to gather their resources due to the danger of the work, which resulted in many casualties and injuries. He wanted to rule the country as he wanted rather than what was right for the people. He lied to the Belgian government in order to gain power of the country, by saying that his

Throughout history people have been conquered or have been suppressed. In the years between 1800 and 2000, Europeans nations such as Belgium colonized Africa. These European powers subjugated the African people for their economic and influence gain. When these nations had these motives, the “Scramble of Africa” started and Africa was conquered. Therefore, the Berlin Conference is formed to decide the property of each European nation in Africa. When this conference took place, Belgium verified that their King Leopold will hold the territory of the Congo, by lobbying other nations. When King Leopold took power, many catastrophes took place, however other events helped the Congo develop. Therefore, colonialism cannot be judged by the Belgians

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.

Over the course of human history, many believe that the “Congo Free State”, which lasted from the 1880s to the early 1900s, was one of the worst colonial states in the age of Imperialism and was one of the worst humanitarian disasters over time. Brutal methods of collecting rubber, which led to the deaths of countless Africans along with Europeans, as well as a lack of concern from the Belgian government aside from the King, combined to create the most potent example of the evils of colonialism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s. The Congo colonial experience, first as the Congo Free State then later as Belgian Congo, was harmful to that region of Africa both then and now because of the lack of Belgian and International

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 Leopold is fully responsible for the effects of the Congo Free State because of what he did to colonize it. First, he privately established a colony in the region through his private holding company, the Association Internationale Africaine, and through his famous explorer Henry Morton Stanley. From then on, he slowly gained full control of the area by making advantageous deals with local chiefs. In a

In conclusion, Belgian colonial administration had two distinct types of ruling periods: the direct company rules (Congolese Free State) and the direct colonial rule (Belgian Congo). With a staggering number of natives killed, per the reports, 10 millions of human losses of life. Human rights were violated at every level. Bodied were mutilated, capital punishments were also in place. This period was called “King Leopold II’s Genocide.” The local people were forced to pay taxes and subjected to forced labor. There are lots of similarities between Leopold II’s Congo in 1885 to 1908, Belgian Congo in 1908 to 1960 and the modern Congo, since Democratic Congo, the vast central African state has seldom know political stability. The soldiers have

This pattern of exploitation and neglect has persisted in the modern Congo. However, during its colonial age, the Congo wasn’t directly subjected to foreign masters. Since the Congo gained its independence in 1960, the Congolese ruled it, although one might argue

Belgium Government, through the guidance of King Leopold I and Leopold II, prioritized the idea of an empire. According to Ewans, the two monarchs considered more than fifty colonial ventures to build an empire (167). Although the country’s executives such as ministers rejected their ideas, the two monarchs were determined to colonize nations. In particular, Ewans states that Leopold developed an interest in the Congo basin in 1875 (168). He ignored the country’s top leadership and ordinary citizens as he sent Henry Stanley to sign up chiefs in the Central Africa region. Leopold II outfought and outmaneuvered his rivals since Belgium managed to take control of Congo. As Ewans indicate, other nations, such as France and Britain acknowledged

The Congo Free State was one of, if not the largest, colony ever owned by one man. In 1876 he formed the International African Association (IAA) and he used this as a front to enter the Congo Free State and he used it to justify his entry into the African state. He was the only shareholder in the IAA. He also justified his entry into the state by claiming to ‘westernise Africans’ and by bringing missionaries into Africa (James, 2011). All through his reign, he maintained the idea that it was all for the benefit of the colony.

ON june 30, 1960 belgium negotiated post colonial mining rights in declaring an independent democratic republic of the Congo yet within days soldiers of the congo army mutinied demanding

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DROC, is a country rife with civil strife and unrest. The country has been at war since its independence in 1960, due to the abundance of its natural resources. Originally a Belgian colony, the DROC was known as the Independent State of the Congo. From 1879 to 1885, it was owned and run by a development company known as the International Association of the Congo. King Leopold II of Belgium had named himself the prime shareholder of the business, and accumulated a vast personal fortune utilizing Congolese slave labor on rubber plantations and to hunt ivory (Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations, 2016). The DROC has been home to the “African World War”, and has been a hotbed for blood and violence for as long as it has been around. They have an economy mostly based on mining, which has been

Belgian Congo began between 1908 and 1960. It was a Belgian colony in Central Africa and today it is known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The colonization from Belgium happened mainly because of their first ruler's selfishness and trickery. After what he has done, Belgium had no choice but to take Congo Free State away from their king, and place it into their own care. This was much to the benefit of the native people throughout the colonization of Belgian Congo. Medicine and education were heavily changed to the better while in the other side some of them were discriminated against and segregated from others because of their color or culture.

To begin, imperialism had always been a long-term system of governing. Empires were built, colonies were created, and growth occurred to make today’s world. It was always seen that the king of an empire knew what was best for his nation. He was given the power to make impacting decisions and lead his empire to success. However, many kings were found corrupted and abused their powers for their own benefit. King Leopold used his skills to try to persuade his people and neighboring nations into believing that the Congo State was the best