The Colonial Policy of Belgium in the 19th-20th Centuries

Abstract

The essence of the colonial policy of former European metropolises in Africa are still being debated in the twenty-first century. The opinions of various authors contradict each other. Some argue that the colonizers brought civilization to the African peoples, others believe that as a result of the introduction of a culture alien to the aborigines, their development was delayed in time. The purpose of the study is to prove that colonialism caused colossal damage to the peoples of the Congo, and the former metropolis, first in the person of only King Leopold II, and then the Kingdom of Belgium, used the slave labor of the local population and their resources only for the sole purpose of enrichment. Analyzing the sources and literature on the colonial period of the Congo, including the testimonies of both European and African eyewitnesses of the events, the correspondence of officials with the Belgian king, as well as the works of authoritative domestic authors, it is concluded that although the era of colonialism has sunk into oblivion, its past continues to leave an imprint on the modern development of the DR Congo, one of the poorest countries in Africa. This is the paradox of one of the continent’s most resource-rich countries with a however low standard of living. For the first time, the study references unique materials collected by the Congolese scholar Mutamba Makombo, as well as the works of the Congolese historian Isidore Ndaywel.

Keywords

• colonialism
• congo
• kingdom of belgium
• leopold ii
• rubber