The King Incorporated: Leopold the Second and the Congo
by Neal Ascherson
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Description
It is the aim of this text to describe Leopold II without prejudice. The text presents many aspects of his life: as a most ruthless negotiator; as the cold father; and as the sensual ancient riding his tricycle at Vilefranche-sur-Mer to pedal round to the villa of a young mistress.Tags
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Member Reviews
The crimes of King Leopold II of Belgium are many and horrendous. If Dante was alive and writing "The Divine Comedy" at the start of the last century, he will surely have found a place on one of the lower levels of hell for Leopold II.
Leopold II's crime was to make the Congo his personal domain, and enslave the locals to produce rubber and ivory for Leopold's private profit. The quotas placed on the locals and the punishments meted out to them for failing to reach the quotas are harrowing, and the fact he got away with doing this for so long is nothing short of astonishing.
Ascherson covers the history of the Congo, tied in as it was with the Scramble for Africa, the barbarity of life in the Congo and the international move to eventually show more condemn Leopold II to give up the world's largest personal estate. There are other books that cover this piece of history but I would start with "The King Incorporated" to get the best introduction. show less
Leopold II's crime was to make the Congo his personal domain, and enslave the locals to produce rubber and ivory for Leopold's private profit. The quotas placed on the locals and the punishments meted out to them for failing to reach the quotas are harrowing, and the fact he got away with doing this for so long is nothing short of astonishing.
Ascherson covers the history of the Congo, tied in as it was with the Scramble for Africa, the barbarity of life in the Congo and the international move to eventually show more condemn Leopold II to give up the world's largest personal estate. There are other books that cover this piece of history but I would start with "The King Incorporated" to get the best introduction. show less
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Author Information
21+ Works 1,261 Members
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Leopold II, King of the Belgians; Roger Casement
- Important places
- Congo; Lado Enclave; Belgium
- Important events
- Scramble for Africa
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
- DDC/MDS
- 960 — History & geography History of Africa History of Africa
- LCC
- DH671 .A8 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Low Countries – Benelux Countries History of Low Countries. Benelux Countries Belgium History By period 1794-1909
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 63
- Popularity
- 494,466
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.23)
- Languages
- Dutch, English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 2
