King Leopold's Congo and the "Scramble for Africa": A Short History with Documents

"King Leopold of Belgium's exploits up the Congo River in the 1880s were central to the European partitioning of the African continent. The Congo Free State, Leopold's private colony, was a unique political construct that opened the door to the savage exploitation of the Congo's natural and human resources by international corporations. The resulting 'red rubber' scandal—which laid bare a fundamental contradiction between the European propagation of free labor and 'civilization' and colonial governments' acceptance of violence and coercion for productivity's sake—haunted all imperial powers in Africa. Featuring a clever introduction and judicious collection of documents, Michael Rutz's book neatly captures the drama of one king's quest to build an empire in Central Africa—a quest that began in the name of anti-slavery and free trade and ended in the brutal exploitation of human lives. This volume is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in the history of colonial rule in Africa."
—Jelmer Vos, University of Glasgow
1127793800
King Leopold's Congo and the "Scramble for Africa": A Short History with Documents

"King Leopold of Belgium's exploits up the Congo River in the 1880s were central to the European partitioning of the African continent. The Congo Free State, Leopold's private colony, was a unique political construct that opened the door to the savage exploitation of the Congo's natural and human resources by international corporations. The resulting 'red rubber' scandal—which laid bare a fundamental contradiction between the European propagation of free labor and 'civilization' and colonial governments' acceptance of violence and coercion for productivity's sake—haunted all imperial powers in Africa. Featuring a clever introduction and judicious collection of documents, Michael Rutz's book neatly captures the drama of one king's quest to build an empire in Central Africa—a quest that began in the name of anti-slavery and free trade and ended in the brutal exploitation of human lives. This volume is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in the history of colonial rule in Africa."
—Jelmer Vos, University of Glasgow
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King Leopold's Congo and the

King Leopold's Congo and the "Scramble for Africa": A Short History with Documents

by Michael A. Rutz
King Leopold's Congo and the

King Leopold's Congo and the "Scramble for Africa": A Short History with Documents

by Michael A. Rutz

Hardcover

$54.00 
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Overview


"King Leopold of Belgium's exploits up the Congo River in the 1880s were central to the European partitioning of the African continent. The Congo Free State, Leopold's private colony, was a unique political construct that opened the door to the savage exploitation of the Congo's natural and human resources by international corporations. The resulting 'red rubber' scandal—which laid bare a fundamental contradiction between the European propagation of free labor and 'civilization' and colonial governments' acceptance of violence and coercion for productivity's sake—haunted all imperial powers in Africa. Featuring a clever introduction and judicious collection of documents, Michael Rutz's book neatly captures the drama of one king's quest to build an empire in Central Africa—a quest that began in the name of anti-slavery and free trade and ended in the brutal exploitation of human lives. This volume is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in the history of colonial rule in Africa."
—Jelmer Vos, University of Glasgow

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781624666575
Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Publication date: 03/01/2018
Series: Passages: Key Moments in History
Pages: 132
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author


Michael Rutz is Professor of History, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
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