Colonialism: The Role Of Imperialism In The Congo

During the second half of the 19th century, Leopold II, King of Belgium, claimed the Congo Basin during the scramble for Africa and attempted to maintain the area for his own profit, resulting in the annihilation of over half of the basin’s population through unspeakable violence and brutality. While the imperialism of the Congo may have been beneficial to Leopold II and Belgium, the impact on the Congo itself was much, much more serious and detrimental, and nothing that either side may have gained can change that. In 1878, King Leopold II of Belgium, after failed attempts of creating colonies in Africa, hired the explorer Henry Stanley to explore the Congo. Then, with the Congo being brought to the attention of Europe, Leopold established

Because of the artificial divisions formed during the imperialism of Africa in the 19th century, communities and cultures were destroyed and civil unrest became more frequent. “ Second, employing data on the location of civil conflicts after independence we show that compared to ethnicities that have not been impacted by the border design, partitioned ethnic groups have suffered significantly more, longer, and more devastating civil wars. Third, we find that economic development —as reflected by satellite data on light density at night- is systematically lower in the historical homeland of partitioned ethnicities” (“The Long-Run Effects” 0). This invasive manipulation of ethnic groups can still be seen

The International Congo Society, also known as the International Association of the Congo, was a front organization created by Leopold to conceal his involvement in trade and gain publicity by partnering with well-known philanthropists and scientists to show his false intentions. (Hochschild 46) Because of this deceptive appearance, the area that soon became known as the Congo Free State attracted the attention of missionaries and lawyers looking for work. These people would then see the horrors of the Congo Free State with their own eyes, but would be extremely reluctant to stand up for the natives, the reason being was that they did not want to step out of line and cause a situation that wouldn’t benefit themselves. Additionally, the soldiers and officials there came upon the belief that the atrocities were ordinary. “Then, of course, the terror in the Congo was sanctioned by the authorities. For a white man to rebel meant challenging the system that provided your livelihood. Everyone around you was participating. By going along with the system, you were paid, promoted, awarded medals. So men who would have been appalled to see someone using a chicotte on the streets of Brussels or Paris or Stockholm