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Belgian Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

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Imperialism in the late nineteenth century was sparked from the rise of industrialization throughout the world and the competition for new territory. Modernized countries took advantage of uncivilized nations in order to utilize their available resources and to compete with their civilized counterparts. Western imperialist countries in the late nineteenth century exploited periphery countries and hindered them economically and human-environmentally for the purpose of their own wealth and benefit, despite some arguments that outline a mutually beneficial global economy from imposing a strong, powerful government in these unstable places in order to control and maintain the chaotic behavior of the natives. By using the India and Congo case studies, …show more content…

The Congolese were threatened by the Force Publique—the military control the Belgians introduced into the Congo—and taken from their homes. They were dragged down the road, tied at the neck so they could not escape, and taken away to become slaves. The soldiers beat the Congolese, offered them no food to eat, and killed those who refused to walk (Canisius, 250-256). The Belgian control over the Congo put the lives of all the natives in imminent danger. They were threatened and treated as commodities, not people. The imperialism of Belgium over the Congo brought great destruction and death to the natives. Similarly, the Belgians imposed a high rubber quota on the Congolese, one too high for many to afford, and punished those who could not pay the tax by cutting off their hands (Photograph of Congolese). Hands were an acceptable payment for the tax, so many villages fought each other and cut off one another’s limbs in order to pay back their titanic debt. The Belgians encouraged the Congolese to turn on each other in order to pay these taxes. They applauded those who paid the tax and further punished those who did not. Villages turned on each other for the Belgians amusement. The Belgians deemed the Congolese to be less superior and hurt those who did not follow their

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