1. The Congo Revision

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

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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