Scramble for Africa

History: KS3, topic 14.1.8

Scramble for Africa: The Brussels Conference

In the late 19th century, European powers all tried to establish their empires in Africa. This was called the "Scramble for Africa".

The Brussels Conference was hosted by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1876 AD.
Today, King Leopold II is remembered for his rule of what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During Leopold's rule, 10 million local people were killed or died from famine.
Local men were forced to work on rubber plantations instead of farming crops, which led to a shortage of food.
Belgium exploited the DRC's natural resources.

At the Brussels Conference, it was decided that Africans were incapable of developing their natural resources, as many believed Africans to be an inferior race to Europeans.
This became a vital justification for European intervention.
Tensions between European powers were raised as they became highly suspicious of each other’s motivations.

Leopold II reportedly said "To open up to civilization the only part of our globe which it has not yet penetrated, to pierce the darkness in which entire populations are enveloped, is, I venture to say, a crusade worthy of this age of progress, and I am happy to perceive how much the public feeling is in favor of its accomplishments; the tide is with us … Need I say that, in bringing you to Brussels, I have not been influenced by selfish views" to conference attendees.

Leopold's ideas of opening up civilisation and "piercing the darkness" reflect political leaders' views of the world outside Western Europe as uncivilized.
Leopold's use of "darkness" can be interpreted to refer to the lack of perceived cultural advancement in Africa, but also to its black African inhabitants. The racial ideology of the time pitted black Africans as a lesser race to white Europeans.
Given the scale of the violence of Leopold's rule in the Congo, you could interpret his use of the phrase "pierce the darkness" as being quite literal.

Which of these are true of King Leopold II of Belgium and his rule?
Interpretations of Leopold II's calls to open up civilisation and "pierce the darkness" (Brussels Conference, 1876).