What Are The Motives Behind King Leopold's Mission To Africa?
King Leopold the II, is infamously known as the sole creator of the “Congo Free State”, modern day Republic of the Congo. The Congo region was and still is a vastly diverses area of modern day Africa. However, when King Leopold began his expedition to africa, the area was occupied by a vast amount diverse groups of people, but predominantly, the Bantu migrants which settled in the vastly resourceful land near lake Tanganyika. This immensely resourceful land was in the forefront of various european ‘explorers’ missions into Africa. This notion is immensely, relevant when discussing the motives behind King Leopold’s mission to Africa (mainly central), King Leopold claimed that his mission to establish a state in Africa was solely humanitarian, however I believe that he had far more discerning motives, that have had a detrimental effect on the people and state of the Congo, which can be felt until
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this day.
King Leopold II, established the state, through various tactful political means. He gained interest in the region through, his discovery of various findings and records of missionaries and journalists going to Africa, namely journalist Henry Morton Stanley. Which validate the belief that the region of Africa is in fact brimming with resource waiting to be excavated. This talk of immensely resourceful lands made king Leopold's mission to Africa imminent. The Belgian occupation of central africa began at the same time as the colonization efforts vested other various lands in africa which spun from north to south. This transitional time was known as the ‘scramble for Africa’, which was established, organized and enforced during Berlin Conference. This event was the first step in king leopold's occupation and extortion of the area formally named the Congo Free State’, which was set under the notion of ‘humanitarian’ work. Prior to the Berlin conference king leopold “used his personal fortune and diplomatic skills, (he) moved rapidly to reap the rewards of stanley's achievements by seeking the recognition of his self-proclaimed sovereignty over African territories in Central africa from political and major imperialist powers.” and later on during the Berlin conference we can witness the recognition of the AIC (International association of the Congo). however, this resulted in a myth that the conference formally recognized king leopold's (EIC), or Congo Free state… however the announcement and the standing ovation constituted a symbolically strong endorsement of leopold’s ability to use money and diplomacy to achieve his aims.
This recognition, legitimized both King Leopold II and his constituents, power over central Africa, and there began the exploitation of immensely resourceful lands of the Congo.
In King Leopold II, Speech at the first Meeting of the Belgian Committee of the international Association for the Exploration and civilization of Central Africa (November 6, 2017) He claims a different notion than that which would become prevalent in subsequent years. In his speech to the newly established organization, king leopold claims that The horrors of that traffic, the thousands of victims massacred each year through the slave trade, the still greater number of perfectly innocent beings who, Brutally reduced to captivity are condemned… the founding of an international Association… (would) tear aside the veil of darkness which still enshrouds central Africa
This “humanitarian” motive is what, king Leopold used to gain both popularity and approval to lead his mission into Africa. This notion was his publicized “motive” at that time, however history/historical records would prove
otherwise.
The reality, which occurred during the conquest/creation of the ‘Congo Free State’ showed the true motives behind King Leopold’s conquest of Central Africa. The prevalent and transparent motive was ultimately economically driven. King Leopold's knowledge of the resourceful lands of Africa, is what ultimately tempted him into demanding the control of the land he later on named as the ‘Congo Free State’. “In order to fund the project of colonisation, the association took control of the rubber and ivory trade” This notion of using the resources of the occupied state to finance the state colonization efforts, is a widely used method by the european colonisers in Africa. This method is directly refutes King Leopold's humanitarian claim. The belgian powers in central Africa reaped the benefits of the richly resourceful lands through exploiting the indigenous African settlers in Central Africa.
this day.
King Leopold II, established the state, through various tactful political means. He gained interest in the region through, his discovery of various findings and records of missionaries and journalists going to Africa, namely journalist Henry Morton Stanley. Which validate the belief that the region of Africa is in fact brimming with resource waiting to be excavated. This talk of immensely resourceful lands made king Leopold's mission to Africa imminent. The Belgian occupation of central africa began at the same time as the colonization efforts vested other various lands in africa which spun from north to south. This transitional time was known as the ‘scramble for Africa’, which was established, organized and enforced during Berlin Conference. This event was the first step in king leopold's occupation and extortion of the area formally named the Congo Free State’, which was set under the notion of ‘humanitarian’ work. Prior to the Berlin conference king leopold “used his personal fortune and diplomatic skills, (he) moved rapidly to reap the rewards of stanley's achievements by seeking the recognition of his self-proclaimed sovereignty over African territories in Central africa from political and major imperialist powers.” and later on during the Berlin conference we can witness the recognition of the AIC (International association of the Congo). however, this resulted in a myth that the conference formally recognized king leopold's (EIC), or Congo Free state… however the announcement and the standing ovation constituted a symbolically strong endorsement of leopold’s ability to use money and diplomacy to achieve his aims.
This recognition, legitimized both King Leopold II and his constituents, power over central Africa, and there began the exploitation of immensely resourceful lands of the Congo.
In King Leopold II, Speech at the first Meeting of the Belgian Committee of the international Association for the Exploration and civilization of Central Africa (November 6, 2017) He claims a different notion than that which would become prevalent in subsequent years. In his speech to the newly established organization, king leopold claims that The horrors of that traffic, the thousands of victims massacred each year through the slave trade, the still greater number of perfectly innocent beings who, Brutally reduced to captivity are condemned… the founding of an international Association… (would) tear aside the veil of darkness which still enshrouds central Africa
This “humanitarian” motive is what, king Leopold used to gain both popularity and approval to lead his mission into Africa. This notion was his publicized “motive” at that time, however history/historical records would prove
otherwise.
The reality, which occurred during the conquest/creation of the ‘Congo Free State’ showed the true motives behind King Leopold’s conquest of Central Africa. The prevalent and transparent motive was ultimately economically driven. King Leopold's knowledge of the resourceful lands of Africa, is what ultimately tempted him into demanding the control of the land he later on named as the ‘Congo Free State’. “In order to fund the project of colonisation, the association took control of the rubber and ivory trade” This notion of using the resources of the occupied state to finance the state colonization efforts, is a widely used method by the european colonisers in Africa. This method is directly refutes King Leopold's humanitarian claim. The belgian powers in central Africa reaped the benefits of the richly resourceful lands through exploiting the indigenous African settlers in Central Africa.