The Congo Revision

Imperialism A policy or belief in the creation of an empire by acquiring colonies By military campaigns By economic domination By cultural domination

New Imperialism Stanley negotiated 450 treaties during exploration of the Congo 1879-84 Gave Leopold trading and land rights The use of trade to win control/influence over an undeveloped region

The scramble for Africa Late 19th C - most of the world divided between European imperial powers The only uncolonised region – unexplored Africa 1884-85 Berlin Conference – Great Power rivalry

Berlin Act 1885 Commerce – free trade Christianity – missionaries protected Civilization – end slavery Aim – avoid conflict between European powers Granted Leopold right to Central Africa – one million square kilometers He created the Congo Free State

So what gave Belgium power? The Force Publique – a native army of less 16,000 natives, around 400 Belgian officers Superior weapons Congolese tribes disunited Kidnapping and hostage taking Greed – bribed some chiefs

What motivated King Leopold? Profits from rubber Racial superiority – “white man’s burden” 1890s – new technology – the pneumatic tyre (a Scotsman, Dunlop, invented the rubber tyre for his son’s bicycle) Labor needed to harvest wild rubber plants in the Congo Congolese are “taxed” – with labor Dunlop’s son got headaches from riding the iron rimmed bicycle

What was the impact on the Congo? Force Publique terrorised Congolese tribes Rebellion – many refuse to harvest rubber vine forests Hostages taken to force men to work Rebels killed or mutilated

Short Term Consequences E D Morel’s campaign (CRA) damages King Leopold’s international reputation Casement Report provides credible and damning support for Congo Reform Association claims 1908 Leopold forced by public pressure to sell Congo to Belgian government

Long term consequences Loss of local religions and customs Schools and churches spread Christianity and European idea Most of the population speak French The borders devised by the Berlin Conference paid little heed to tribal borders Few industries – just exploitation of natural resources Congo is a mix of tribes competing for resources – one reason for civil war in 1990s

Comparison with China Europeans had superior weaponry Berlin Conference and Treaty of Tianjin gave protection for missionaries Co-operation between European powers (Berlin Conference, Opium Wars, Boxer Rebellion) Economic motivation – free trade, access to new raw materials, role of opium/rubber Cultural destruction – threats to local religion and identity

Contrast with Japan Civil war in both countries – but the Japanese were ethnically homogeneous and united under one Emperor Congo – many tribes and chiefs. No unified army Japanese controlled changes to their society – revolution from above Belgians controlled change in Congo