Hey Belgium, Way to [censored] Up The Congo! (806-816)

Although European presence in Africa was not foreign by the 19th century, as "new imperialism" became further ingrained in the hearts of capitalists and politicians, the "Dark Continent" became prime real estate. By 1914, the entirety of Africa save Ethiopia had been, shall we say, colonized by various European powers. (Quick Note: Ever wonder why Ethiopia is considered to be the Rastafari Valhalla and the source of pan-Africanism? The fact that the Ethiopian Empire was able to completely resist imperialist pressure has a lot to do with it. I'll address this more in my next post.) The French claimed a huge chunk of northwestern Africa as well as Madagascar and a relatively small portion of equatorial Africa. The British, never to be outdone, focused imperial efforts mostly on eastern Africa, from Egypt all the way down to the Union of South Africa; some territory on the Gold Coast was also claimed. The Italians, Germans, and Spanish followed behind with smaller territories. The African map was more colorful than the rainbow, and a lot less attractive; the White Men clearly heeded Kipling's call and went about their burden with ease.

Right in the middle of the European-rainbow-melee, Belgium under King Leopold II laid claim to a large chunk of land that was known as the Belgian Congo. In 1876, the International Association for the Exploration and Civilization of the Congo set out from Belgium to exploit resources in middle Africa such as rubber, palm oil, and diamonds. After facing opposition from other European countries such as Portugal and Germany, Belgium set about committing atrocities in the Congo which are no doubt the root of the current Republic's problems. Labor was either forced or close to it, and the conditions were horrible. Famine, disease, and overwork killed off hundreds of thousands of African workers. George Washington Williams, in a visit to the Congo, was appalled by the confiscation of lands from the native Africans as well as the lack of organized "civilization effort." Williams' concerns were uncommon at the time since Africans were considered to be inhuman, but they were legitimate, and he was not willing to be a passive observer of lying on behalf of the IAECC. Naturally, his address to King Leopold II did little to improve the atrocious conditions for African laborers.

I guess that's what they get for burdening the White Man. By the way, Belgium, good job [expletive gerund] up the Congo. They've thanked you for it, I'm sure.