Publisher's Synopsis
We delve into a dark and turbulent chapter of history, where the end of the 19th century and the dawn of the 20th mark an era of exploitation and tragedy in the heart of Africa. In this text, it is revealed how Leopold II of Belgium, a cunning and ambitious monarch, transformed the Congo into his private colony. Using philanthropy as a facade, a campaign of economic domination and territorial control was justified, triggering an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The work reveals with surgical precision the legitimization of this colonial enterprise through methods such as the exploitation of rubber and ivory, supported by a network of complicity that included explorers, bankers, and politicians. 'Leopold II's Congo' not only illuminates a crucial episode of colonial history but also invites reflection on the complex interactions between power, greed, and the pretense of "civilizing".
