King Leopold Notes

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild, 1998 Notes Imperialism definition: policy of extending a country’s power and influence over foreign countries through diplomacy or military force, acquiring and holding colonies, increasing government. 5 main motives for Imperialism: 1. IDEOLOGICAL: based on cultural values such as the belief that the white race was superior, other cultures were "primitive,” Europeans should "civilize" peoples in other parts of the world. Great nations should have empires, and only the strongest nations will survive. 2. POLITICAL: based on a nation's desire to gain power, to compete with other European countries, to expand territory, to exercise military force, to gain prestige by winning colonies, and to boost national pride and security. 3. ECONOMIC: desire to make money, to expand and control foreign trade, to create new markets for products, to acquire raw materials and cheap labor, to compete for investments and resources, to export industrial technology and transportation methods. 4. EXPLORATORY: These motives were based on the desire to explore "unknown” or uncharted territory, to conduct scientific research, to conduct medical searches for the causes and treatment of diseases, to go on an adventure, and to investigate "unknown" lands and cultures. 5. RELIGIOUS: desire to spread Christianity, to protect European missionaries in other lands, to spread European values and moral beliefs, to educate peoples of other cultures and to end the slave trade in Africa. King Leopold II (1835-1909) born in Brussels, Belgium – king of country of Belgium used the explorer Henry Morton Stanley to make a personal fortune in ivory, rubber, forced labor – responsible for exploitation, atrocities, deaths in the Congo area of Africa Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) British explorer, knighted by Queen Victoria in 1899 George Washington Williams (1849-1891) black American journalist who wrote the truth about the crimes against humanity perpetrated by King Leopold’s exploration of the Congo Quick Summary of excerpts:     King Leopold decided to invest in exploration of Congo – he became greedy and obsessed with the idea African people were often tricked into treaties, lots of misunderstandings (language & culture) While they were not perfect, the African communities were surviving well before European colonization Many Europeans talked about ending slavery but did little to actually help the people of Africa