King Leopold II committed a massive genocide and crimes against humanity upon the indigenous peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), at the time known as Congo Free State (not to be confused with Republic of the Congo, at the time known as French Congo). This genocidal king of Belgium started a private enterprise in which he was dedicated to massive land theft and resource extraction in Africa. In order to control the Congo, Leopold II sent his soldiers to invade the area and ruthlessly murder and enslave the indigenous peoples of the area.
King Leopold's reign in the Congo directly led to the murder of an estimated 8–10 million people. The people of the Congo were enslaved, tortured, mutilated, and forced to extract rubber and other natural resources to the benefit of Belgium. The colonization of the Congo and the genocide that took place at the hands of Leopold II has directly led to the economic and political instability of the region to this day.
King Leopold II negatively affected the economy and political aspects of the Congo after taking control of the region. He convinced other Western powers to recognize the Congo as his private colony. The territory was rich in resources, and he sought to exploit it. He employed forced labor to collect the resources by enslaving the natives and undermined native administrative structures. King Leopold managed to gather immense wealth in the region. However, his brutal tactics forced Western powers to intervene. Belgium officially took over control of the region, but the damage to the region’s economy and political structures had been done. Belgian administration only made the situation worse by pursuing direct rule.
Although it is a developing nation, the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a poor economy with weak political structures and stability as a result of Leopold’s reign. Certain parts of the country remain under the control of rebels who fight for control of the mines. The violent environment has negatively affected the people, entrapping them in a vicious state of desperation and poverty.
http://drcimperialism.weebly.com/the-congo-today.html
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leopold-II-king-of-Belgium
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