India and Belgium Imperialism Essay
Imperialism During the late 1800s to the early 20th century, the imperialism movement began when Europeans had renewed their old interest in Africa in order to create an overseas empire. European nations wanted to control African lands in order to acquire raw materials that they needed for their economies back home. Soon, Europeans where building plantations to grow cash crops for a source of profit to the mother country. European nations felt that gaining colonies in Africa was a way to show their ability to overpower people. With new money acquired by seized African land and highly sophisticated technology at the time, Europeans were able to set up railroads allowing them to penetrate deep into Africa yet still have contact with the home country. With any nation allowing to claim any part of Africa, the lack of unity among Africans caused European weapons to be the far greater power than any African power. The British were more justified in their invasion of India, than the Belgians were to their invasion of the Congo, because they eventually took into account the culture of the native people where as the Belgians did not.
One of the worst cases of imperialistic invasion was the Belgians invasion in the Congo. The Belgians destroyed the Congolese culture and took advantage of the people in inhumane ways. When the Belgians arrived in the Congo, the Congolese believed that they where there because “they wanted to take our souls.”[1] The Belgians brought with them deadly diseases and weapons. They natives did not have guns to defend themselves, and were becoming sick from forign diseases. This allowed for the Belgians to take control of their land very easily. The Belgians took away the ability for natives to provide for themselves by enslaving them and forcing them to work on their plantations. The Belgians weakening them with diseases and controlling them with weapons, the Congo could not work and provide for themselves anymore. The Africans no longer had the
One of the worst cases of imperialistic invasion was the Belgians invasion in the Congo. The Belgians destroyed the Congolese culture and took advantage of the people in inhumane ways. When the Belgians arrived in the Congo, the Congolese believed that they where there because “they wanted to take our souls.”[1] The Belgians brought with them deadly diseases and weapons. They natives did not have guns to defend themselves, and were becoming sick from forign diseases. This allowed for the Belgians to take control of their land very easily. The Belgians took away the ability for natives to provide for themselves by enslaving them and forcing them to work on their plantations. The Belgians weakening them with diseases and controlling them with weapons, the Congo could not work and provide for themselves anymore. The Africans no longer had the
Bibliography: Chattopadhyaya, Haraprasad. The Sepoy mutiny, 1857: a social study and analysis. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 1957. [1] Turnbull Colin M, The lonely African: Matungi Story, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1962), 256. [2] Kilson Martin, Apropos of Africa: Sentiments of American Negro Leaders on Africa from 1800s to the late 1950s: GWW Letter to KL on Congo, 1890, (London, UK: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1969). [3],4, 5 , Haraprasad Chattopadhyaya, The Sepoy mutiny, 1857: a social study and analysis, (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 1957), 200. 6 Dadabhai Naoroji, Essays, Speeches, Addresses and Writings:The Benefits of British Rule for India, (Bombay: Caxton Printing Works, 1887)http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1871britishrule.asp (accessed December 20, 2012), 131-136.