Essay On King Leopold's Ghost

Africa was a giant magnificent cake. Many countries scrambled to cut into it and claim their own pieces of it as if it was theirs for the taking. The last unconquered piece of land was up for grabs which evoked top nations into sending explorers to claim the land for them. Africa during the rule of King Leopold II had many unexplored areas included his newly acquired land the Congo. The King’s charm, altered treaties, and a money hungry drive have all lead to the underlying problem of exploitation of the natives. In Hochschild’s novel King Leopold’s Ghost he details to readers that Leopold II was a man who managed to achieve his dream of developing a colony, but African exploitation fulfilled his dream.

Belgium, as it seemed wasn’t a large enough country to be ruled by a king. It was a country that didn’t want to be made into a colony like Leopold wanted. A craving for more land bigger than the one that he ruled washes over him. The king wanted to be able to compete with other European powers that were amassing large amounts of wealth from their colonies. During this point in time,

A drive for profits, nations recognizing Belgium’s Congo, and a smooth talking King have created a loophole for African exploitation to exist. During the king’s rule not every area in Africa was ruled or claimed by a nation which leads him also towards the scramble for Africa. To him, Belgium is not a large enough country to rule over which is why he wants more land and more power to be able to compete with the leading nations. Treaties that the native chiefs were forced to sign lead to grounds of the first acts of exploitation. Guns became the weapons forcing the Africans to stay in line and gather the necessary amounts of ivory and rubber. Leopold finally got his piece of the giant magnificent