The Horrors of Imperialism: The Belgian Congo Essay

Ever heard the saying big bank take little bank ? That’s basically what imperialism is. Imperialism is a policy which a strong nation take complete control over other countries . This is exactly what the Europeans did in several different parts of Africa . Not only did the Europeans divided and colonized Africa but they took everything away ,from their culture to their independence. Why take all this away ? It’s simple , the Europeans nations was competing against each other and they thought they were superior. They noticed Africa had many raw materials and resources they could use and benefit from. The driving force for imperialism in Africa was economics , competition , and politics.

Admitted in the Memoir of Ndansi Kumalo, “Well, the white men have brought us some good things. For a start, they brought us European implements - plows; we can buy European clothes, which are an advance. The government has arranged for education and through that, when our children grow up, they may rise in status.” The Europeans admittedly brought many great things to the Natives of the countries they conquered; better technology, education, and overall help were given to the natives. In the beginning, Europeans tried as much as they could to prop up the natives to a better, civilised stature. However, as their power and grasp on the region increased, as did their greed. According to Richard Harding Davis in Leopold, The Janitor from the Congo and the Coasts of Africa, “The Charges brought against Leopold II, as King of the Congo, are three: (1) That he has made slaves of the twenty million blacks he promised to protect. (2) That, in spite of his promise to keep the Congo open to trade, he has closed it to all nations. (3) That the revenues of the country and all of its trade has retained to himself.” Such imperialism allowed far away kings to exploit their populaces of Native Africans as if they were just toys to the crown. Leaders would force their powerless and technologically underdeveloped subjects into fruitless

Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Imperialism played a huge role in the causes of world war I and was mostly from Germany and Serbia. This also means smaller states had to fight for freedom or life. Through this most imperialists

What is imperialism? According to Britannica, imperialism is a state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas. Belgium taking over the Congo is an example of this. The Congo was a peaceful country, located in the heart of Africa, consisting of warm sunny days and beautiful Lake Malebo. The people were free, and happy. This was before the hell started… King Léopold II was the reason for this to happen. Léopold found the Congo and immediately fell in love with all the resources that flourished there. Léopold then went on to colonizing the Congo and taking it in for his own. He colonized the

Social Darwinism was a social theory. The same theories that were from Charles Darwin had been applied to human society. The theories on natural selection and evolution. It known that those who were stronger and superior could enjoy a wealthy and lavish lifestyle. The fittest of survival. Europeans believed that non-Europeans were lower, physically and culturally. This was believed because the Europeans, at the time, were the only people to make scientific and technological breakthroughs.

Imperialism is defined as one country’s domination of the political, economic, and social life of another country. In Africa in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, imperialism was present and growing. The main countries involved in the imperialism in Africa were the French, German, and Great Britain. The French’s empire was mainly in North and West Africa while Britain’s colonies were scattered throughout the continent. Germany ruled over such countries as Tanganyika, Togoland, and Cameroon, until their defeat in World War I.

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

Imperialism is when stronger nations take over weaker nations. As a matter of fact, one example of Imperialism is the Scramble for Africa, which happened during the 19th Century. The Scramble for Africa is when European nations all wanted a piece of Africa which they were incredibly rich and raw materials. For example, African countries had Gold, diamonds, coal, oil, and so much more. There are many factors that play into the development of Imperialism, but which one played the largest role.

According Nnamidi Azikiwe, a Nigerian leader, imperialism is a crime against humanity (Document 8). Europeans committed certain actions to the African race like forcing Africans into labor. When someone with dominance commands a weaker person, they become frightened, like the Africans. King Leopold II colonized the Democratic Republic of the Congo for over seventy-five years. The economy was based on the forced labor of the Congolese (Congo Case Study). Africans needed to collect a certain amount of rubber and ivory, but when they didn’t meet the European’s expectations, they would be punished which consisted of being raped or abused, brutally. Leopold’s actions of continuously demanding the Congolese to work for little wages was not just because they worked long hours, yet got paid off as little as a few cents. The prime minister, Jules Ferry, gave a speech in 1884 called “On French Colonial Expansion” that contradicts, and he exclaims that superior races has a right over lower races (Document 7). Ferry believes that Europe will help Africa become civil, but this created inequality. White people used their control over people of color to work for them. Africans never got the same opportunities as whites; therefore, making them less important. Africans were obligated to be servants for Europeans, but they did not wish to, making this harder on African

Imperialism is the control over an uncivilized country socially, politically and economically. Imperialism affected many countries. China, Africa, India, the Americas and Euurope were all affected by imperialism. Imperialism was caused by nations wanting to expand their territory, their army and develop a better trade system. Imperialism began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to political, social and economic forces.

European imperialism in Africa Occurred between 1871-1914. Imperialism is the domination by a powerful nation over the political, economics and cultural affairs of another nation or region. The industrial revolution was the primary cause to imperialism while political causes were the the secondary causes. The military and technology are the third cause to African imperialism.

The beginning of this imperialism started with king Leopold of Belgium. For several years he had been secretly sending his representatives to the Congo region to sign treaties and purchase land from the local tribes, when it finally came to light what he was doing, he had already acquired 900,000 acres, later known as The Belgian Congo. This land was not for his country, but for his own personal use. Leopold cared nothing about the land or the native people, his goal was to exploit the land and people at all cost and that is exactly what he did. Millions of native Africans were forced into slave labor for Leopold’s needs and the land was stripped of all its natural recourses. The slaves were treated horribly and many millions were slaughtered or died from the horrific conditions forced upon them. Although the exact number is not known it is estimated to be in the tens of millions.

Imperialism in Africa began in the late 19th century. It began when King Leopold II began the Scramble for Africa. All of the major colonial powers went after Africa. Their goal was to gain the most wealth and to have the most territory. Having more territory and claiming valuable parts of the continent was a symbol of power. Imperialism in Africa had negative and positive consequences on both the Europeans and Africans, these can be shown through human rights issues, new industry and advancements, and wealth and influence.

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

In the year 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium imperialized the Independent State of the Congo. Leopold set the area up under his own personal rule. His rule was an extremely negative and very unwanted thing that plunged the area into an era of damnation.