"Without the railroad," says Leopold II's agent,…

1888 CE to 1899 CE

"Without the railroad," says Leopold II's agent, Henry Morton Stanley, "the Congo is not worth a penny."

Without recourse to forced labor, however, the railroad cannot be built; nor can the huge concessions made to private companies become profitable unless African labor is freely used to locate and transport rubber and ivory; nor can African resistance in the east be overcome without a massive recruitment of indigenous troops.

The cruel logic of the revenue imperative leaves the Leopoldian system with no apparent option but to extract a maximum output of labor and natural resources from the land.

Locations
Lèopoldville > Kinshasa Kinshasa Congo Democratic Republic View →

People
Henry Morton Stanley View → Leopold II of Belgium View →

Groups
Bantu peoples View → Arab people View → Mongo peoples View → Kongo people View → Luba people View → Mangbetu people View → Christians, Roman Catholic View → Zande people View → Kongo, Kingdom of View → Lunda people View → Kuba Kingdom View → Portuguese Empire View → Protestantism View → Chokwe people View → Luba, Kingdom of View → Lunda, Kingdom of View → Kazembe View → Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) View → Belgium, Kingdom of View → France (French republic); the Third Republic View → International Association of the Congo View → Congo, French View → Congo Free State (King Leopold's Congo) View →

Topics
Scramble for Africa View →

Commodities
Weapons View → Gem materials View → Oils, gums, resins, and waxes View → Slaves View → Land View → Rubber View →

Subjects
Commerce View → Conflict View → Exploration View → Faith View → Government View → Movements View →

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Location: Battle Sussex United Kingdom
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