King Leopold's Congo
During the Berlin Conference, it was declared that, "His Majesty, Leopold II, King of the Belgians, is authorised to be the chief of the state founded in Africa by the International Association of the Congo. The union between Belgium and the new state of the Congo shall be exclusively personal." - A Brief History of the Congo
“How can he be a good man who comes for no trade, whose feet you never see, who always goes covered with clothes, unlike all other people? No, there is something very mysterious about him, perhaps wicked, perhaps he is a magician, at any rate it is better to leave him alone and not disturb him.”
- The Wahuhha, A Tribe of the Congo Free State, King Leopold's Ghost |
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The European powers believed that it was justifiable for Leopold to own the Congo Free State because of promises made by King Leopold’s own organization, the International Congo Association, on how the Congo would be managed. The Association was formed for the purpose of “promoting the civilization and commerce of Africa and for other humane and benevolent purposes.” - International Congo Association, Red Rubber
“The [International Congo] Association proposes to govern these native States on the Congo on the principles of law recognised by civilised nations, and upon philanthropic principles. Its aim is to civilise Africa by encouragement given to legitimate trade.” -E. D. Morel, Red Rubber |
“To me, the fact of greatest interest about the Congo is that it is owned, and the twenty million of people who inhabit it are owned by one man. The land and its peoples are his private property." |
After the Berlin Conference, Leopold ignored the Berlin Act, exploiting the country’s resources and used the population as slaves to collect ivory and rubber.